The Slave World (33)

(33): Like the mating of the earth and air

I was numb with shock. I had been caged, brutally raped and now I was going to be shipped to Gor as human livestock. And Adam, the man I now knew I loved, had been beaten to within an inch of his life in an attempt to protect me.

When it came time to drive us to Burley we were processed one at a time. When it was my turn my cage door was unlocked and men dressed in non-de-script black clothing pulled me struggling and screaming out of the cage. I was cuffed hard until I became silent and then I was gagged with a leather and ball gag that was fastened tightly behind my head. The ball wadding served to fill my mouth completely and render any speech inaudible. Next my wrists were drawn back behind my body and locked tightly in slave steel. I was then hooded with a slave sack that was drawn over my head and upper body. A strap with buckles fastened the top of the hood around my throat. The lower part of the slave sack was then drawn down about my thighs. A central strap was passed between my legs and fastened to a further leather belt strap that buckled tightly about my waist. I was now secured completely from my thighs up to my head. Only my legs were free. The front of the slave sack had a metal ring sewn into the leather and to this a coffle chain was attached. The other end was clipped to a similar metal ring sewn into the back of the slave sack worn by the girl in front of me.

I cried into my gag knowing I was helpless now and unable to resist in any meaningful way. I would be shipped to Gor and once there I would be a slave for real. I felt dizzy, barely comprehending that this could actually be happening to me now. It wasn’t a story, it wasn’t a nightmare, I was really being abducted and enslaved. No one would ever know my fate. I would just be another statistic, another girl who disappeared one day.

I felt a chain being attached to the steel ring sewn to the back of my slave sack, as another girl was secured in place behind me. Then we were marched in line, guided by the hands of the slavers, to the underground car park where a lorry of some sort waited. One by one we were unlocked from the coffle and then led up a steel ramp and into the back of the lorry. When it was my turn I felt men sit me down on a bench. A steel clasp was locked about my left ankle, above my shipping anklet and I heard the other end as it was fastened to a central bar that ran down the middle of the interior. A further chain fastened in place to the side of the wall was then locked to the steel ring at the back of my sack. I could only move forward an inch or two. I heard and felt other bound girls being placed next to me. They would all be as terrified as I was, maybe even more so.

My sense of terror was exacerbated by my inability to speak, see or move properly. I sat on the hard wooden bench encased in this stifling slave sack and felt the limit of my movement as I pulled at the three chain links that held me against the side of the truck. I was hyper ventilating, breathing through my nose in place of my mouth, smelling the stale leather soaked in sweat from dozens of girls who had worn it before me. I was acutely aware of every sound around me; the movements of chains attached to other girls, the stamping of the men’s heavy boots against the floor of the truck, the rattling of the metal ramp as more girls were led up it, the shifting of the bench as another girl was forced down and secured in place. I heard the sound of car doors elsewhere in the underground garage, and the murmur of men’s voices as they conferred and exchanged orders. I thought I heard Kassa's voice from somewhere, talking in that clipped Polish accent. She didn’t know I was here. She hadn’t seen me in the kennels when she had whipped Lewis, and I had not seen her since. For all I knew I had been led in the coffle arrangement straight past her and she would have had no idea that Caitlin Ambrose was now a hooded slave. But even if she knew what could she possibly do?

Minutes ticked by and I began to lose all sense of time. I was hot in this sack and I found it hard to breathe properly. The gag forced my mouth open but filled it at the same time. My jaws ached after a while. I kept swallowing the saliva that built up with the acrid taste of the gag contaminating it. I was going to be a slave girl on Gor! I had seen in Captive of Gor how I would be treated. I would be branded and whipped, trained to serve men in any way they wished. I wrestled in panic with my restraints again and cried piteously in my hood.

After a while I heard the ramp taken away and the truck was closed up. I heard the engine start and felt the movement of the truck as it drove along the cement floor and up the sloping ramp to the grounds of the house. The garage led to the back of the property as well as the front and from the direction we took I guessed we were driving out into the rear most street. No doubt we had a car escort for the men were probably not inside the lorry with us.

I endured the ride in my confined silence, my mind going over and over the recent events and the mistakes I had made. How had it come to this? Why had I been so naïve as to trust Rebecca? This was all my fault. I had thought I had all the answers. And now Adam was going to be tortured and killed and I was going to be a slave.

I didn’t want to be slave. I knew that now. Not a slave on Gor. Maybe I wanted to be Adam’s property – I felt confused on that point but I knew I did not want to be abducted to Gor. Although I had no way of measuring the passage of time I knew it would probably take two hours to reach Burley. That was my measurement of time. When eventually we stopped there was a still silence that you never heard in London. The back of the lorry was opened up and I heard the familiar sound of men climbing in with their hobnailed boots. There was no doubt we were in the countryside. With the back of the truck now open I could hear the night time forest sounds and feel the chill breeze against my bare legs. One by one I heard women being unshackled from the benches and led out onto the grass. I had no idea what was happening out there but knew I would find out when it was my turn. The men worked systematically along the opposite row to me and then began unshackling girls from my row. Eventually it was my turn. A hand hardened with callouses took my ankle and freed it of the ankle chain to the central bar. I then felt the chain unclipped from the steel ring at the back of my slave hood. I was lifted to my feet and supported as I took careful steps, walking blind along the rough surface of the truck and down the folding ramp. When I felt wet grass against the soles of my feet I knew I was close to the landing zone near Burley. Hands unbuckled the strap around my waist, then the strap between my legs and then the strap around my neck. I felt the slave sack lifted away from my body and for the first time in many hours I was able to see again. The first thing I saw was a line of terrified slave girls kneeling opposite, their hands secured behind their backs. They still had gags in place, but one by one they were being marked off a shipment list in the hands of one of the black clad men. Another man was securing each new girl to the line with a coffle ankle chain so that no girl might try and leap to her feet and run. I was led by my hair to that line and added to the coffle. A landing zone had been marked out with an aerosol can that formed a wide square. We were in some remote scrubland or heathland somewhere in the New Forest, the area surrounded by trees. It was dark and cold and I felt sick to the core of my stomach. Bile rose to my throat but I fought back against the gagging sensation, knowing I might choke on my gag if I was suddenly sick. One of he men had set up some red lights which seemed to illuminate the area in the same way that night vision goggles did. I saw Andromedus standing watching the proceedings, occasionally consulting with his subordinates. A free woman dressed in gowns and veils remained close to Andromedus and I guessed this was Kassa. I desperately shook my head hoping that she might notice the motion amongst all the prisoners on the chain coffle and she might recognise me, but she rarely glanced in our direction and when she did she didn’t pay me any particular attention. The thick leather gag masked enough of my lower face to make me hard to identify and in this strange night vision light my mixed race skin looked the same as everyone else's.

And then I saw Adam. He knelt on the grass some distance from us. I sobbed as I saw how badly beaten he looked. His face was swollen so badly I had to look twice to confirm it was him, and his body now looked black and blue from his waist to his neck. He wasn't chained but by the state of him I suspected he could barely stand. One of the black clad men had a pistol in his hand and he stood in an executioner style pose behind Adam with the barrel close to the back of his head. I whimpered in my heavy gag and tried to attract his attention but I don’t think he was even able to see much, so badly swollen were his eyelids.

There were several cars parked in this glade along with the monster lorry in which their cargo had been transported. And then I saw her – Rebecca Miles, or rather Jennifer Larner – she was sitting in the back of one of the cars looking anxious. She wore skinny jeans, ankle boots, a smokey grey top and a jacket and she watched the comings and going of the men as they mostly ignored her. I didn’t understand why she was here, and by the look on her face nor did she. Nevertheless it seems Andromedus had held up his side of the bargain and had treated her well.

Eventually Andromedus seemed to notice that Rebecca was in the car. He motioned for her to join him, which she did. I watched as she walked across the grass with a man holding an umbrella up for her as it had begun to rain softly.

“Mrs Larner,” said Andromedus as he turned to regard her.

“Why have you brought me here?” she said. She looked awkward and nervous as she gazed at the long line of women shackled together in a chain coffle. She was surrounded by strong Gorean men and the sight of them made her distinctly uncomfortable.

“I wanted you to know that I have cleared things with the Kur high command on Earth,” said Andromedus. “I didn’t have time to tell you earlier as we’re working to a strict timeline.” He glanced at his watch, nodded and said something in Gorean to one of the nearby men. He in turn walked away and set up some sort of signalling beacon. “You will be pleased to know that we have held up our end of the arrangement. Jennifer Larner has been pardoned for her murder of Charles Hugo Larner. You have my word that you will not be subject to any form of revenge on our part for your crime.”

“What of the other part? You said you would ensure that I would now be Rebecca Miles and that Rebecca Miles has a verifiable paper and computer trail? I can’t live my old life now that I’m twenty three again. I need a new identity. You promised to establish me as Rebecca Miles going forward.”

“That we have done too. There are now computer records retrospectively detailing your new life. Rebecca Miles has been alive for twenty three years and there is a legal identity that will withstand any scrutiny. You are now Rebecca Miles. In fact you have always been Rebecca Miles. Jennifer Larner is presumably dead and you now have a new life – a new identity.”

“Good.” Jennifer seemed pleased. “Then I have everything I’ve ever wanted: Youth, beauty, and an extended life span of hundreds of years with which to enjoy it.”

Andromedus nodded. “We recognise you as Rebecca Miles. Jennifer Larner was another person altogether. Her sins do not touch you.”

“Then I think our business is concluded, Kurrian. I don’t have any particular desire to see your ship arrive and these women loaded aboard. Can you arrange for me to be driven back home?”

Andromedus chuckled at that. “Your naivety amuses me. Strip and kneel on the grass.”

“What?” Rebecca took a step back and suddenly felt her arms seized by the man who had been holding her umbrella. “What is the meaning of this? We had a deal!”

“Our deal was with Jennifer Larner. We kept it. She has been pardoned. But you are not Jennifer Larner. You are a twenty three year old woman called Rebecca Miles and we have had our eye on her for a number of months now. She strikes us as exquisite collar meat.”

“No! No!” She struggled but to no avail. “I’m Jennifer Larner! You know I’m Jennifer Larner! I have a pardon!”

“Jennifer Larner does. We would not touch her, but the slave-beautiful girl called Rebecca Miles does not have any arrangement with us. Strip her.”

I watched as Rebecca was thrown on to her belly on the wet grass and her clothes were pulled or cut away from her. She was dragged screaming and naked to the chain coffle and forced to kneel. She was then gagged and braceleted and added to the ankle chain arrangement.

A soft gentle rain continued to fall as we waited for the silver ship. Throughout I kept my gaze focussed on Adam, willing him to look at me, but he was a beaten and broken man now and simply knelt on the grass with his head bowed. He had lost everything including his last shreds of hope. Did he even know I was here? The signalling device emitted a low beeping sound and then as we gazed up to the sky we saw the silver ship arrive. There was no roar of engines or thrumming of helicopter blades. What I saw was the sky folding in on itself and then when it unfolded like a sheet of paper, there was the silver ship. It descended from a cloud formation as quietly as a gliding bird of prey. The metal surface seemed almost liquid like as it settled effortlessly onto the aerosol marked landing space. And then just as silently a hatch opened up on its underbelly forming a tiered ramp. Now the men sprang into action and began to unfasten girls from the coffle line and carry them into the hold by their upper arms. If a girl tried to fight or resist in anyway she was quickly thrown to her belly and injected with a drug that rendered her still in a matter of seconds. Then a man simply slung her body over his shoulder. We waited as one by one we were carried into that silent ship to be placed in the transport tubes. When it was the turn of the beautiful Rebecca MIles she put up the most hysterical resistance so far. We almost heard her screams through her leather gag. She too was then sedated and carried on board. After a while only I remained.

Andromedus smiled as he motioned for my gag to be removed. With it clear of my mouth I dry heaved and almost puked up on the grass. I felt hands unlock the slave bracelets and once free I moved my aching wrists before me onto my lap.

“I wanted you to see your kajira one last time, Priest King,” said Andromedus as he raised Adam’s chin with the boot of his right foot. “Later tonight when the shipment is complete we will spend some time together and you will tell me the first of many secrets you have to share. I will extract those secrets with a cocktail of imaginative tortures that await you.”

“I’m sorry, Cat,” said Adam through broken teeth and swollen lips.

“I love you,” I said as I knelt there crying. “I love you!”

“Touching,” said Andromedus as he now turned to Kassa. “You recognise your flat mate?”

“I do,” said Kassa in what seemed to be a matter of fact voice.

“And how do you feel now that she is to be enslaved on Gor? Are you angry we are doing this?”

“Angry?” Kassa seemed confused. “Why? She is slave. You demonstrate many days ago.” Kassa shrugged. “Slave here or slave on Gor. No difference to me. Is this test?”

“Yes,” said Andromedus with a smile.

“I told you I am bored by tests. Take her. I do not care.”

“I really have chosen well,” said Andromedus. “You can say goodbye to her if you want.”

Kassa seemed bored. She shrugged. “As you wish. I kiss her goodbye.” She lifted the hem of her gown slightly so as not to soil it on the wet grass. Kassa then walked towards me and looked down at where I knelt.

“Goodbye Caitlin. I give you last kiss to wish you well in new life.” She leaned forward to kiss me on the cheek but as she did so her voice dropped to a whisper and, her lips brushing past my ear she had just enough time to whisper, “I serve Priest King. Do not lose hope,” before I felt her lips touch my cheek briefly and then withdrew. Without even a backward glance she returned to Andromedus. “When do I board?” she said.

“You may board now, Lady. My men will give you privacy to undress before you are placed in a capsule. Enjoy your new life on Gor.”

“I look forward to big house and fine clothes,” said Kassa. “Do not disappoint me.”

And then she left and boarded the ship.

I knelt there feeling stunned. Priest King? Kassa had just whispered to me that she served Priest Kings? How? How was that even possible? And yet, why else say it… A million questions sprang to my mind. Did Adam know this? Did she work with Adam? What the hell was she doing? How could she be an agent of Priest Kings? She was... Kassa!

“And now you, kajira,” said Andromedus as he gazed down at us. I had crawled towards Adam and just as we were about to touch one another, Andromedus kicked me back. “You played the game of worlds and you lost.” He signalled to one of his men who then seized hold of me and pulled me to my feet.

“I think, Priest King, when the ship has departed and we have time to talk in the dungeons below the House of Three Moons, I think the first thing you will tell me is who your 'sword brother' is and how to find him. I want to know where he is, Priest King.”

Adam and I both saw it simultaneously. The small red laser dot flickering across Andromedus's forehead as he spoke to us. Adam laughed through broken teeth as he found the last of his strength to say, “I think you're about to find out...”

And then there was the crack of a high calibre rifle and in the blink of an eye the top third of Andromedus's head simply exploded.