by J Palliser
The frame was heavy. Sonya staggered under the weight. They tried to put her wrists into the yoke, but the spiked cuffs got in the way. One of the Wraiths tossed down some fibercord, and they tied Casana's and Sonya's hands behind their backs. Sonya winced as the spikes on the cuffs stuck into her arm. The skin-tight jumpsuit she was wearing was just thick enough that the spikes didn't stick all the way through it. The four Wraiths and about a dozen guards escorted the now bound Kriegsmarines to Chai'bat's throne room.
Chai'bat was only a little over four centuries old. What was even more unusual was the collection of scars he had criss-crossing his body. Sonya could see several on his head and chest. One looked like someone had thrown acid on him, covering a big part of his left side. They were stopped several meters in front of the raised platform that he was resting on.
"Ah, my new slaves," Chai'bat said with a booming laugh.
"I'm no fucking slave, you fat pig!" Casana yelled back at him. Chai'bat gave another booming laugh and made a motion with his hand. One of the guards flicked a short power-whip and hit the back of her thigh. Casana screamed and fell to the floor. She overcame the pain in a few seconds, and then faked pain another minute or so. When she judged that she had cried enough, she looked back at Chai'bat, still holding her thigh with her tied hands. Casana didn't want them to know about her resistance to pain.
Chai'bat gave another booming laugh and said, "Foolish women. Soon you'll learn your new place in life." Casana bit back another scathing insult. Chai'bat barked some orders and the two women were taken away.
The group arrived in some kind of workshop, and an old human tech tried to remove the spiked collars and wrist cuffs.
"They can't be taken off," Sonya explained to him. He laughed and brought over a laser cutter. Then he carefully cut the collar and cuffs off of the women. Casana gave Sonya a conspiratorial wink as he cut her collar off.
Casana was placed in stun cuffs and the spreader-bar frame was taken off of Sonya. "Strip," one of the guards ordered. "Take it all off."
"Go fuck yourself," Sonya replied almost without thought. A guard behind her flicked the power-whip again. It snapped right next to Sonya's head, just missing her ear. She flinched reflexively.
"Look bitch, you can take off your clothes, or you can be unconscious and we'll do it for you," the guard said slowly. Sonya glanced at Casana, who had been forced to her knees by two of the Wraiths. She nodded, and mouthed the words Trust me to Sonya.
Reluctantly, Sonya pulled off the boots and skimpy jumpsuit in front of the leering guards. Once again she wished that Casana had let her wear underwear with the outfit.
Sonya tried to cover her breasts and crotch with her hands, but a guard ordered her to put them at her side. Two of the guards started putting another spreader-bar frame on her neck. This one was lighter than the other.
"Hey, what about my clothes?" Sonya asked.
"This is all you get, bitch," he replied with a laugh. The young woman was humiliated by the thought that she wouldn't be allowed to wear anything. She thought about trying to make a run for it, but knew that she couldn't with the spreader-bar frame, even as light as it was. Sonya was further dismayed when the guards pushed her to the worker, who stood waiting with a heatless laser welder.
Sonya was forced to stand idle while he welded the first durasteel strap of the harness onto her hips, which supported most of the weight of the yoke frame. Another strap went tightly around her abdomen. A pair of straps was also welded in place just above and just below her breasts. The last strap was welded vertically to the four other straps, and ran between her tits. The frame and straps were designed to be a little flexible, so Sonya have to be completely immobile.
Next they forced Sonya to her knees and strapped her forearm and hand down. Her wrist was over an opening on the anvil. The welder fastened a durasteel manacle around her wrist and welded it into place. Then, to Sonya's surprise, they pulled her arm forward and welded another shackle tightly around her bicep. The process was repeated with her other wrist and arm, then she had to lie on her back and lay each of her ankles over the anvil to be shackled.
Last of all Sonya forced to kneel with her head down so he could weld a collar around her neck. The wrist, ankle and bicep cuffs each had a small D-ring welded to them, to make it easier to attach the captive woman's limbs in place. The collar had a larger D-ring on the front, as well as another one at the back of Sonya's neck.
The guards pulled Sonya's hands to her sides and her wrists and biceps were locked to the yoke frame. Small quicksnap locks were part of the frame. This made it easy to lock her cuffs to the frame. Then she was moved to the side and forced to kneel again with two of the Wraiths standing over her. This 'slave' outfit is going to be hard to get used to, Sonya thought to herself.
Casana was pulled to her feet and her stun cuffs and spreader-bar frame taken off.
"Strip, slave," the guard commanded her. She didn't have to be told twice. Casana took the simple act of undressing and turned it into a sex act. Even Sonya was almost mesmerized by her slow, sensual strip show. The Wraiths didn't seem to be affected, but who knew what was going on under that armor.
While the guards strapped the spreader-bar on her and it was welded it into place, Casana flirted like, well, like a slave girl. She was still smiling seductively when the old man welded the cuffs and collar on her. Casana even thanked him for her new jewelry with a slow, open-mouthed kiss.
Major Lutt came in, and put a stop to the extended thank you. He had a thick bandage on his throat.
"Bitch!" he rasped at Casana when she finally turned away from the welder. "I'm really sorry about that, Master. If there's anyway at all I can make it up to you, just let me know." She licked her lips slowly. "I'll do anything you want me too," she added. One of the Corsairs was holding her back from walking to him.
The Major looked her over a moment, as if judging her sincerity. "The Great Chai'bat chose not to inform me of his true intentions for the women. However, he has instructed me to tell you," he looked directly at the two women. "That the spreader-bar frames have a small amount of explosives built in." He let the words sink in for a moment. "They can be set off by remote or by proximity. If you escape, you die. If you cause problems, or if someone attempts to rescue you, you die. Do you understand?"
Sonya was dismayed by the precautions. Casana had no such worries. "Yes Master. We'll be good girls. We promise." She glanced over to the scowling Sonya. "Won't we be good girls, Sonya?" She asked.
Since she didn't see any other options at the time, Sonya agreed to be a good girl. "Excellent. Now you'll be taken to your cells for a while. Oh, and one more thing, please don't insult us by trying to disarm the bombs. They are tamper-proof."
Sonya's arms were locked to the spreader-bar frame like Casana's. The guards hauled Casana to her feet. They attached a chain about half-a-meter long to the women's ankle cuffs. Then a thick black hood was pulled over each of their heads. Sonya felt them snap something onto the front of her collar and a tug from it.
Walking blindfolded, with a heavy pack and ankle cuffed was very difficult. Luckily there was a guard on either side of Sonya that kept her from falling several times. After what seemed like an eternity they arrived at the cell.
Sonya was pushed against a wall. A guard told her, "This cell is monitored at all times. If you tamper with anything, especially the yoke, we will do bad things to you. Very bad things. And, in any case, the bomb will explode immediately."
They released Sonya's hands, and pulled the hood off as they backed out of the cell. Sonya turned in time to see the door slam shut and heard the lock click into place. She started to walk over to the cell's bunk and almost tripped. Her ankles were still shackled. She shuffled over and sat down.
Sonya had hoped that Casana would have been here, but for all Sonya knew she could be in the next cell or off planet by now. For the first time since getting captured, Sonya had a chance to ponder her current situation.
She was imprisoned and any escape or rescue attempt would probably result in a quick death. When had Chai'bat started working with Wraiths? Admiral Raeder is going to have some explaining to do when I get out of here, Sonya thought.
The cell had a small refresher station in one corner and the bunk in another. The door had a rectangular slot, about the right size for a tray, at waist height, and another at the bottom. Sonya laid down on the bunk, which had a depression just right for the yoke frame built in.
The stress of the day and weight of the frame caught up with Sonya. About 15 minutes after lying down, she was asleep.
*** Sonya awoke and after a few moments of fear and confusion she remembered where she was. The confusion left, but at least some of the fear stayed. Sonya struggled to climb out of the bunk and shuffled to the 'fresher. It was so hard to move around with the frame. When she finally finished she sat back down on the bunk.
After a few minutes of boredom, Sonya started idly testing her bonds. Her collar and cuffs were each virtually one continuous loop of durasteel around her limbs. She could barely detect the weld seams. The ankle-chain was locked firmly to the ankle-cuffs, so there was no possibility of freedom there. She couldn't see most of the harness, but she did examine the quick-snap locks on the sides of the frame. After making sure she could open the catch, Sonya gently pushed her left cuff against the corresponding lock on the yoke frame.
CLICK! The lock snapped shut with surprising ease. Even if she accidentally brushed up against it, the lock would snap closed. Deciding that it would be good practice, Sonya tried to free her cuffed wrist without using her other hand. Even with the added flexibility of having her upper arm free, it was futile. After fifteen minutes she reached over and with one finger easily freed her restrained arm.
About twenty minutes or so later the waist-high slot on the cell door opened. A guard ordered Sonya to come to the door, turn around hold her hands up to the slot. He reached through and secured her hands to her sides and then opened the cell door. Three more guards and a Corsair were there. They secured Sonya's upper arms to the frame and put the hood back over her head. Then came another long, slow, shackled walk.
They stopped and Sonya was pushed into a chair and the hood removed. Casana was sitting about a meter away. The Major was in front of her, with the guards spread out to either side.
"Hello again, slaves," he leered at Sonya, who winked back with a suggestive smile. "Tonight the Great Chai'bat will be hosting a reception for some very important guests. As a symbol of his power, his new slaves will be the serving girls." He looked at Sonya, waiting for her to object. When she didn't, he continued. "You'll have to be prepared, and in your case," he nodded to Sonya, "Trained."
"Master, I could probably use a refresher course," Casana told him sweetly. "I wouldn't want to embarrass the Great Chai'bat."
"Good point, slave. Better safe than sorry," the Major replied. Under his supervision, heels about 13cm high were strapped onto the women's feet. A serving tray was attached to the strap around each of their abdomens. Chains ran from the outer corners of the trays to the D-rings on the front of their collars. At this point Sonya realized that she wouldn't even be allowed to use her hands to serve. She was just a mobile serving tray, no better than a droid or piece of furniture. Well, a droid could probably do more, Sonya thought with humiliation.
Casana must have realized the same thing, but it didn't seem to bother her. She seemed to be getting into the life of a slave pretty well.
The women spent a few minutes practicing walking in the heels. Both girls were naturals. Lutt was surprised at how fast they picked it up, especially with the spreader-bar frames throwing their balance off.
Next, the guards sat a tall thin glass on each tray, and the girls practiced walking and squatting to give a seated guest easy access to the tray without tipping the glass over. This also proved an easy task, with Sonya only tipping hers once.
Last of all the two women had to walk and squat while the Major and guards slapped, pinched, and groped the helpless women. This was more challenging for Sonya, who tipped her glass four more times.
When they finished the Major instructed the guards to take the human slave to the dungeon and place her on the bench for her punishment. It took Sonya a moment to realize that the 'human slave' was her.
"Punishment!" she shouted. "For what?" Lutt gave a brief nod to a guard behind Sonya. Fire lanced across her thighs. Sonya fell to the ground. She faked being in pain for about ninety seconds this time, and felt a tingle between her legs. The Major walked over and squatted down in front of her. He gently took her chin in his hand and pulled it to face him.
"Never speak out of turn, slave. And never, ever shout at your Masters," he told her in a soothing but firm voice. Sonya glanced at Casana, who smiled back smugly. What's wrong with her? Sonya thought. She's acting like she's enjoying me getting whipped for nothing.
"Yes, Master," Sonya replied meekly. "Now, you'll get an additional punishment. It doesn't matter what for. The Mighty Chai'bat can punish his property anyway he sees fit. For any reason, real or imagined." He paused for a breath. "Now, the guards are going to take you to the dungeon. If I get a bad report, I will be displeased, do you understand?"
"Yes, Master," Sonya replied, after only a brief hesitation.
"Will I get a bad report from the guards?" Pain meant nothing to Casana. She was just biding her time until she found an opportunity to escape. "No, Master," Sonya told him.
"Good girl," he replied, with a pat on the head. As the guards helped Sonya to her feet visions, of herself decapitating the Devaro were in her mind. They removed the serving tray as she imagined their severed limbs flying off. The hood was pulled over her head as her partner and friend, Casana, giggled at something Lutt said.
It was another long, slow walk to the dungeon. It was odd not being able to feel what type of floor she was walking on through the bare soles of her feet. The hood didn't bother her greatly. With the yoke strapped to her back, the hood, along with the heels and ankle-chain, made the simple act of walking a horrifying task. The guard holding her leash kept a steady pull on her collar. With her hands cuffed to the frame, Sonya had to completely trust her captors. They definitely descended several levels, although the air felt warm and damp the whole time.
Once they arrived, at what she guessed was the dungeon, the guard unclipped the leash from her collar. The chain was unlocked from Sonya's ankles and her feet were spread wide and secured again. She was pushed forwards and made to lean across a padded bench, about waist high. Her tits pressed against the smooth cold surface; some kind of furhide, she guessed. Next her wrists and biceps were freed and pulled up and out over her head. Sonya felt her wrist shackles being locked to the bench. Her cuffs were even with the end of the cool furhide of the bench. Lastly, a wide strap was pulled tight over her hips, holding her tight against the bench.
Sonya expected the punishment to begin immediately. Instead, she was forced to wait for over an hour shackled in that position. Finally, she heard the doorway open and the Major's voice. Only then did the guard take the hood off her head. Sonya looked back and was shocked to see Casana at Lutt's side. She whispered into his ear and giggled when she spotted Sonya looking.
While he was still looking at Casana, Lutt nonchalantly gestured to a guard and he lashed out. Both Sonya's legs felt the fire. This was a much stronger power-whip than before. Sonya hoped they didn't tear her hamstrings with it.
Another lash and Sonya screamed again. She kept up the sobbing between strokes. A third lash. By the fourth lash Sonya had another fire going between her legs. With the fifth lash Sonya was squirming from arousal. By the seventh Sonya was screaming to keep from moaning.
"Hey Master Lutt, I have an idea," Sonya heard Casana say in her sultry voice.
"What is it, my pet?"
"Why don't I give Sonya her last three licks?" The first thought that Sonya had was, How did she know I was only getting ten licks? The second tho
ught was, Why is she volunteering to give them to me? Then it hit her.
The power-whip! Casana is going to use the power-whip to overpower the guards, free me, and escape! The two Wraiths would have to go first. Then the Major since he could probably call re-enforcements. Then the other five guards.
"Sure you can," Lutt replied easily. "As long as you promise not to go easy on her."
"I won't, Master. She'll get everything she deserves," Casana replied with a smile. Knowing that Casana was about to get the power-whip, the two Wraiths took a couple of steps back and adjusted their grips on their pulse rifles. One of the guards found a better defensive position as well. The other four seemed to be trying to get a better view of Sonya's punishment.
"There is one little problem though, Master," Casana said.
"What's that my dear?"
"All that screaming is distracting. Can I gag her or something?"
Sonya replayed the words in her mind. How can gagging me be part of her escape plan? "Absolutely," Lutt told her with a smile. One of the guards retrieved a gag, and another released Casana's wrists and arms. She gave the Major a long hug and kiss before taking the ball-gag from the guard and strutting over to Sonya's bound form, which took some skill since she was still shackled. She knelt down, her face inches from Sonya's.
"Trust me," she whispered. Then she pushed the black synth-rubber ball into Sonya's mouth and buckled the strap behind her head.
Casana turned to the Major. "Can I blindfold her too, Master?" she asked with a smile. Sonya was still adjusting to the intruder in her mouth and didn't hear the question. Lutt nodded and a guard tossed Casana a padded velvet blindfold. She quickly placed it over the startled Sonya's eyes and secured it. Sonya was now shackled, blind and mute.
Casana got in position and turned the power-whip on. She reared back and swung the whip towards her friend's ass. The eighth lash was worse than the first seven. It hit her right at the top of her thighs. Sonya was so shocked that her friend had actually hit her with the cruel power-whip that she forgot to suppress the pain of the next blow.