This short story is an entry in the 2002 Soc.Sexuality.Spanking Summer Short Story Contest and is copyright by the author and commercial use is prohibited without permission. Personal/private copies are permitted only if complete including the copyright notice. The author would appreciate your comments
Category: First/Last
Surrender
By
Mara Maharakshasa <MaraMahaRakshasa@aol.com>
"Let us go then, you and I. We have earned our disgrace, and our punishment is deserved. We must return and surrender to the authorities, and accept our fate with stoicism," he writes.
She will try to argue with him. She's a born rebel, and won't concede that they have done wrong. Nor that the
Ascendency has the right to punish them for merely exercising their right to protest injustice.
But he knows there's no alternative. They've been hunted throughout the known region of space for nearly eight years now, and the Ascendancy's patrols will find them sooner or later.
There are only so many mining colonies or frontier farms that will offer them shelter, and the number is dwindling. To hide on an uninhabited world will take more resources than they can muster.
Here on Snow Lion, he's working as a meteorologist, at an arctic station. In her typical style, she has remained in the capital, where she is a concubine of one of the women of the merchant clan. They talk each day via videophone, with occasional letters when they are too busy to make time.
She reads with a snort of derision, then calls. The screen pops open, and he's turning in his chair to talk to her. He's in a heavy fur jacket, while she is, as usual, bare from the waist up.
"Why are you so intent on giving up?" she asks crossly.
"It's not a question of 'giving up,' he says patiently. "Our cause is forgotten, and by coming back to Earth, we might revive it."
"As martyrs?" she scoffs. "How is that going to help?
Besides, I don't want to die, or rot in prison."
"And this is not a prison?" he replies.
"For you, maybe. But for me, it's a little paradise. I am getting my fill of sex and games."
"It will pall, soon enough."
She laughs. "Yes, maybe. But what happens to us, if we surrender? Be serious."
"I have been in touch through intermediaries. Although we were found guilty in absentia, we were not sentenced."
"The typical Ascendancy way. And you have some intelligence about their intentions?"
"Yes."
"Share it then."
"They will not kill us. Nor jail us. They've already seized our property. No. They will seek to humiliate and disgrace us."
"Meaning?"
"A public hearing. Denunciation by our former followers.
And then some public punishment."
She considers this. "Do you know what kind?"
"I have been led to understand that we would be shown naked. And quite probably tied face to face and whipped, in public. Quite severely, but not enough to permanently harm us."
There's silence.
"I could accept that, if we were pardoned."
"If I recall, my dear, it is one of your oldest sexual fantasies."
"And yours, too," she chuckles.
"We'd probably be forced to live as beggars for a year or two, naked beggars."
"Then, let's consider this very carefully," she agrees, her unseen fingers busy beneath her skirt, and her temperature rising.
The End
© This story (also a Hindu Ascendancy vignette) is by Mara Maharakshasa, 2002. All rights are reserved by the author. Do not retransmit, store (except for personal use) or publish without permission.
Reviews
Kate <ecattiva(at)aol(dot)com>
I like the way this story begins in the middle of a letter, a convincing use of the first line category. The story itself is interesting and erotic, but it also leaves some questions unanswered: Who are these people that they have former followers? What sort of injustice are they protesting? What is their relationship - lovers, friends, or simply partners in crime? I love how they seem to revel in their impending punishment. This story puts me in mind of the intense opening scene of a movie that is shown before the beginning credits are rolled. Nice job.
Frank <sswitcher(at)yahoo(dot)com>
One of my favourite fantasies, too, and set in the fascinating world of the Hindu Ascendancy! In a couple who apparently enjoy a fairly intimate relationship, though, the dialog does seem a little formal in places. Given the richness of the plot, I'd guess it was heavily edited to meet the word-length constraint.
Sarah Nada <circler73(at)hotmail(dot)com>
Surrender is a science fiction tale set in the same alternate future as Mara's Here Comes the Juggernaut. The kink element isn't as pervasive in Surrender, but it is intriguing. The first line works well, too.
RCG <rcg1574(at)yahoo(dot)com>
Interesting and well done. Even though spanking doesn't play a central role in this story, I am interested to know more about the plot surrounding the story (Before & AFTER of course).