The Courier
Copyright 2008 by EC
EC's Erotic Art & Fiction - http://www.ecgraphicarts.com/

(warnings: erotic discipline, sex between adults, medical fetish, 
forced public nudity, harsh police interrogation)


Chapter 12  The trial of Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres

While the student protestors continued to kneel outside, 
Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna, Director Cecilia Sanchez, Prisoner # 
101025, and the two officers escorting the prisoner passed 
through the main door of the Central Courthouse. They walked 
through an ornate entryway and passed through a second set of 
doors that led to the main courtroom chamber. The main trial room 
was quite large, with old wooden furnishings and huge windows on 
the left side. On the right side were benches where spectators 
sat. The judge sat at a large desk on an elevated platform at the 
end of the room opposite from where the prisoner entered, and the 
prosecution team had a table near the judge's platform. The most 
important detail for Maria Elena was a second wooden platform 
about 5 meters in front of the judge's desk. It was round, about 
a meter and a half high, and had stairs going to the top. That 
second platform was where the prisoner would have to stand 
throughout the trial.

Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna took a deep breath as she looked at the 
prisoner's platform. Already she had spoken on behalf of more 
than 100 clients, all of whom had to stand during the 
proceedings. However, the memory burned into her mind was from 
the very first time she saw that platform, now more than eight 
years ago. She had been only 18, just out of high school, and had 
entered the room as Prisoner # 98945. She was a terrified and 
bewildered foreigner, with no knowledge of the culture or 
language of Upper Danubia (as the country was called back then) 
facing a 20-year sentence for marijuana trafficking. How much 
things had changed since then, but one detail remained constant 
in the Spokeswoman's mind. Every time she saw that platform, her 
memory flashed back to her own trial. No matter how many times 
she escorted her own clients into the Courtroom, for a second 
Kim's imagination brought back to her, in vivid detail, 
everything she felt the first moment she saw the platform. It was 
only for an instant, but that instant never let her forget what 
it felt like to be going on trial herself.

The Spokeswoman blinked and brought herself back to the present. 
The cops were un-cuffing her client, who would not be able to 
escape now that the door was locked. Kim took out the key to 
Maria Elena's temporary collar and unlocked it. She handed the 
collar to a courtroom attendant to return to the Ministry, since 
it no longer would be needed. Maria Elena felt the cool air of 
the courtroom on her neck, knowing that within a short time she 
would be collared again, this time permanently.

The Spokeswoman pointed to a worn spot in the Courtroom's very 
old carpeting and told her client to kneel. Then she issued the 
following instructions:

"Maria Elena, when the judge comes in everyone will stand and 
salute him, except you. You must kneel forward and put your 
forehead to the carpet. You will stay that way until the judge 
orders you to step forward. You will climb the platform and 
assume the prisoner's stance. That means you must stand with your 
legs spread and your hands behind your head. No matter who else 
is talking, you must remain in that position, facing the judge. 
Director Sanchez will translate anything you need to know or any 
answers you need to provide the court."

The prisoner sadly responded: "Doc-doc, Advokatna Lee-Dolkivna." 
She remained kneeling, nervously looking at the numerous 
spectators and trial witnesses sitting in the benches to her 
right. She recognized almost everyone who had been with the 
Inspector in the airport interrogation chamber: all those cops 
who had fondled her and smiled while she was being paddled and 
humiliated. She saw that female medical assistant who had 
dishonored her. Unfortunately their eyes met and the woman gave 
her a very cruel smile.

When the Inspector entered the courtroom to take his seat among 
the prosecutors, Kim signaled that she needed to talk to him 
privately. She told Cecilia to remain standing with the kneeling 
prisoner while she walked over to him. Her heart was pounding, 
because she had decided to force him to request that the 
prosecutor drop the charge of perjury against her client. With 
every bit of effort to control her voice and maintain a calm, 
confident appearance she quietly asked:

"Inspector, are you aware that there are 13 demonstrators outside 
this courthouse who are protesting on behalf of my client?"

"Yes, Spokeswoman, I saw them as I was entering."

"Well, Inspector. I believe that the fact there are demonstrators 
will mean that we will have to play the entire interrogation 
video of my client during the trial. The demonstrators are not 
going to accept that my client committed perjury unless the 
actual footage documenting that accusation is made part of my 
client's trial record. I am going to have to call you and the 
medical staff as witnesses to explain your method for proving 
that my client is guilty of the crime of perjury. When we do 
that, I will ask that the demonstrators be brought into the 
courtroom to witness that footage for themselves."

Kim noticed the Inspector's face going pale. She knew that the 
last thing he wanted was for footage of his unit's interrogation 
tactics played during a trial. The fact that there were 
demonstrators, who had Church approval no less, present outside 
the courtroom, would obligate him to show the film of Maria Elena 
being beaten and throwing up. There was no question that would 
cause a huge scandal and possibly cost him his position at the 
airport. He knew that the Spokeswoman had backed him into a 
corner. He would have to drop the charge of perjury. He was 
defeated, but outwardly maintained his calm.

"Spokeswoman, I would imagine, thinking about it, that perjury 
really is not relevant in the case of your client. I am convinced 
that she did not understand what we were asking of her. It will 
not be necessary to enter the interrogation tape into the trial 
because it simply shows something that we cannot be sure of 
anyway. If you wish, I will notify the prosecutor of our 
misgiving about the perjury charge."

"Very well, Inspector. I appreciate your understanding about the 
perjury issue. If that charge is not included in my client's 
hearing, I would agree that showing the interrogation video will 
not be necessary. There is something else."

"Yes, Spokeswoman?"

"Perhaps we might agree to minimize the number of switchings my 
client will face? I think that, given her sentence will still be 
35 years; we could have her switched once a year? That would 
still be 34 switchings, which I think is enough."

"Yes, I would agree, Spokeswoman. That would be plenty. I will 
discuss our misgivings with the prosecutor."

"Thank you, Inspector."

As the Inspector turned to talk to the prosecutor, Kim struggled 
not to faint and not to scream with joy. She took a deep breath 
and returned to her client. She was trembling and trying to 
control her emotions. Maria Elena looked at her with concern, 
while Cecilia whispered:

"What happened?"

"I...I think I'm gonna get the perjury charge dropped. If I do, 
I'll owe that to your students."

"My students?"

"Yes, your students. Because they're out there, I wouldve forced 
the Inspector to play the video where they were interrogating 
Maria Elena. He wants to keep that out, because he doesn't want a 
bunch of protestors to see what his crew did to her. So, without 
that video, there's no proof she committed perjury."

Kim and Cecilia watched as the Inspector and the prosecutor 
discussed the matter. They glanced at the Spokeswoman with 
worried expressions. The prosecutor then said something 
unpleasant to the Inspector, before crossing off several lines 
from his statement. He glanced up again at Kim, his expression 
full of resentment. It was obvious the perjury charge would 
indeed have to be dropped. Kim whispered to Cecilia:

"They're really pissed. Essentially I blackmailed them. But I 
couldn't have done it without your students. As soon as you can, 
I need you to get out there and let 'em know what they've 
accomplished."

The judge entered the chamber. The entire room shouted "Doc-doc 
Danube!" and everyone saluted, including Kim and Cecilia. As 
instructed, Kim's client knelt forward and placed her hands on 
the worn carpet, her forehead touching the ground. Maria Elena 
felt the cool air of the courtroom blowing against her exposed 
vagina and bottom. She realized how much she was on display, but 
after two weeks in Danubia, she understood that modesty was a 
privilege that no longer was part of her life.

The prosecutor read the charges, which included cocaine 
possession, cocaine trafficking, and violating the sanctity of 
her body. Kim signed with relief, because not included in the 
list was the perjury charge. She had scored a significant win 
against the Inspector. 

The trial judge asked Kim in Danubian: "Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna, 
is your client properly aware of the charges she is facing and 
that you are her representative in this court?"

"Yes, your honor, although with your permission, I'd like to 
clarify to her what charges she is, and is not facing."

The prosecutor tightened his lips, because it was obvious his 
opponent was referring to dropped perjury accusation.

"Very well, Spokeswoman. Please make that clarification so we can 
continue."

Kim told Cecilia to translate what had happened, that the perjury 
charge and its resulting 20 sentence had been dropped. That 
detail only heartened Maria Elena slightly, because she still was 
facing 35 years of being collared and a bunch of judicial 
switchings. Still, Kim's pre-trial victory heightened the 
prisoner's confidence that her Spokeswoman really was determined 
to protect her as much as possible.

The trial judge addressed Kim again:

"Spokeswoman, please tell your client to present herself to the 
court."

Kim tapped Maria Elena's shoulder and pointed at the platform. 
The prisoner approached it and climbed the steps, finding herself 
standing about a meter and a half above the ground. Reluctantly 
she spread her legs and put her hands behind her head. Four 
spotlights shined on her from different directions. She heard the 
murmurings of the spectators and saw the flashes of reporters' 
cameras.

The first portion of the trial was dedicated to presenting the 
evidence against Prisoner # 101025. The prosecutor stood before 
the judge with a metal cart containing the evidence. The most 
important item the official presented was a tray containing 100 
grape-sized bluish-gray ovals, the "pellets" of cocaine that 
Maria Elena was carrying with her when she was arrested. The 
prosecutor called the dog handler to testify how his dog 
initially sniffed out the pellets Maria Elena had in her jacket, 
and then the head doctor to explain how Maria Elena had the other 
pellets concealed inside her body. That detail caused a stir in 
the courtroom, because to use one's own body for such a 
disgusting purpose was totally offensive to Danubian values.

Other evidence presented during the trial included Maria Elena's 
cell phone and the arrest record of El Flaco in Germany. Kim did 
not contest anything, because she already had eliminated the 
evidence that most would have mattered, the interrogation video. 
Anyhow, both she and the Inspector agreed that Maria Elena was 
much better off having been arrested in Danubia than she would 
have been had she continued on to Germany.

After two hours, Maria Elena's body was starting to cramp badly, 
and she wondered how much longer she could stay in her position. 
Just as the prisoner felt like she was going to faint, the judge 
stood up. Suddenly the Spokeswoman whispered desperately "Maria 
Elena! Quick! You must kneel!" The Colombian just made it to the 
platform on her knees when the entire room exploded with "Doc-doc 
Danube!"

Kim ordered her client to step off the platform and passed her a 
glass of water. Meanwhile, Cecilia went outside to tell Carmen 
and the other students what they had accomplished by 
demonstrating. They stood up along with the Priest, wincing as 
they stretched. Their knees ached and their muscles were horribly 
cramped from being immobile for such a long time. As for their 
initial unease of being naked in front of the Courthouse, that 
concern had passed a long time ago, overshadowed by their 
physical discomfort.

"So far, just by being here, you've managed to cut 20 years off 
her sentence. In this country that's a big deal. You really 
helped Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna and she wants me to tell you how 
grateful she is."

The Americans were relieved. They had accomplished something 
significant, so their efforts had not been wasted. Cecilia could 
tell that they were happy to be finished and thought they were 
about to leave. However, their commitment was far from over.

"Kim and I need you to get back on your knees for the rest of the 
trial. The next part is the defense, where the Spokeswomans 
gonna negotiate her sentence. Right now she's hoping she can get 
Maria Elena's switchings cut down to once a year. The Prosecutor 
wants her to get a switching every three months. So if you guys 
leave now, Maria Elena's still gonna get screwed. Keep at it, 
because you're making a difference for her. You really are."

Cecilia briefly summarized what had happened to the Priest in 
Danubian. He returned to his knees. Carmen immediately knelt and 
picked up her sign. Reluctantly the others followed, trying to 
ignore the mounting pain in their knees and the cramps in their 
legs and backs.

As soon as Cecilia returned to the courtroom to take her place 
next to the Spokeswoman, the judge stood up to resume the trial. 
There was a loud shout of "Doc-doc Danube!" 

Maria Elena scrambled to get into her kneeling position on top of 
her platform as the rest of the room saluted the judge. He read 
over some procedural issues and then ordered the prisoner to 
stand. Cecilia relayed the order in Spanish and she resumed her 
position on top of the platform, legs apart and hands behind her 
head. The judge then called the Spokesman of the Criminal to 
speak up on her behalf.

Kim made no attempt refute any of the evidence or allege Maria 
Elena's innocence, because that was not her job. There was no 
question her client had entered Danubia while transporting a 
kilogram of cocaine on behalf of a drug trafficking organization. 
Her job instead was to point out mitigating factors. In Maria 
Elena's case there were several significant details that Kim was 
able to present to the court, the most important of which was the 
fact that, thanks to the prisoner's cooperation with the 
Inspector, her handler had been arrested in Germany. 

As she translated, Cecilia noted that neither Kim nor the 
Inspector had any desire to tell the court the real reason Maria 
Elena had cooperated. The Inspector was worried about his unit's 
abuse of the detainee becoming public record, while the 
Spokeswoman wanted to portray her client in a way that would make 
the court sympathize with her. How ironic that the opposing sides 
shared the same goal, but for totally different reasons. 

Cecilia was able to appreciate how difficult and complicated her 
friend's job truly was, because she had to use guile and tact to 
outwit prosecutors and police officials whose only goal in life 
was to treat all criminals as ruthlessly as the law would allow. 
Kim's job forced her to be cunning and opportunistic, to look for 
whatever opportunities she could find that would help a client 
avoid the maximum punishment. What made her position more 
difficult was that she had to be scrupulously honest about 
whether or not she believed that her clients actually did commit 
the crimes of which they were accused. Cecilia knew that if Kim 
ever attempted to declare a client innocent of a crime while 
knowing that person was in fact guilty, she could be put on trial 
herself for perjury and possibly executed.

The defense portion of the trial went very quickly, since there 
was no conflict between how the Inspector and how the Spokeswoman 
wanted to treat the prisoner. Finally the judge looked directly 
at Maria Elena and asked her a question in Danubian. Cecilia 
translated:

"They are about to pronounce the sentence. He wants to know if 
you have anything to say to the court. If you do, get on your 
knees before you speak."

Maria Elena thought for a moment before sinking to her knees. She 
was neither educated nor very introspective, but she felt that 
she did have something to say. Haltingly she tried to express 
herself in Spanish, while Cecilia translated and tried to put 
what she was saying into a more coherent format. The court heard 
the following:

"I don't really have a good explanation for what I did or why I 
did it. I know it was wrong...and when I was doing it I knew it 
was wrong. I guess I'm going to get what I deserved. But I am 
lucky. I realize I am lucky, because I didn't know what was 
really gonna happen to me. I didn't know that...I wasn't gonna be 
allowed to leave...that they were gonna keep me. And my 
Spokeswoman said to me that I have to ask myself, why did all 
those other women end up as...prostitutes...and why didn't that 
happen to me...why I was spared...and I don't really know. I 
mean...maybe it was so that you could stop them from what they 
were doing. But I'm sorry for what I did...I'm sorry for everyone 
I disappointed...everyone in my life..."

Cecilia gently cut off Maria Elena's rambling so the trial could 
end. She ordered the prisoner to remain kneeling during the 
reading of the verdict and sentencing:

"This court finds the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres 
guilty of the crimes of cocaine trafficking through the King 
Vladik International Airport, possession of one kilogram of pure 
cocaine in the form of powder, and violation of the sanctity of 
her body, an offense against the gift that the Creator gave to 
her soul. The conditions of the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-
Torres' sentence are as follows:"

"Item One: The Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres will wear 
the criminal's collar for thirty five years. Twenty of those 
years will be for bringing a kilogram of cocaine to the King 
Vladik International Airport while transporting that drug on 
behalf of an international criminal organization. For insulting 
the sanctity of her body the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-
Torres will wear the criminal's collar an additional ten years. 
Finally, for the possession of 1000 grams of powdered cocaine the 
Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres will wear the criminal's 
collar an additional five years. The collar will identify her as 
a criminal, monitor her movements, and alert the police should 
she try to leave this city. For the next ten years the Colombian 
Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres is prohibited from traveling more 
than 10 kilometers from this courthouse. At no point during her 
sentence will the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres be 
allowed to travel outside the Danube City collar zone, unless 
such moment is deemed necessary by the government of the Republic 
of Danubia."

"Item Two: For the duration of her sentence the Colombian Maria 
Elena Rodriguez-Torres is prohibited from covering any part of 
her body with any article of clothing. That prohibition will 
remain in effect for the full 35 years, regardless of any other 
changes to the conditions of her sentence. She has disgraced 
herself and our nation with her actions, and the Colombian Maria 
Elena Rodriguez-Torres' disgrace will be shown to the world as a 
result of this conviction."

"Item Three: the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres will 
receive 34 vigorous punishments on the naked buttocks with a 
standard leather switch. One of the punishments will be given in 
this chamber immediately at the closing of this hearing, the 
others on the anniversary of this sentencing in the Central 
Police Station each year for the duration of her sentence. The 
arresting officer or his assigned partner will administer all 
punishments."

"Item Four: Finally, Spokeswoman Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna will be 
awarded full legal custody of the Colombian Maria Elena 
Rodriguez-Torres for the duration of her sentence. Spokeswoman 
Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna will act on behalf of the Ministry of 
Justice of the Republic of Danubia, and as her custodian will be 
held personally responsible for any violations of this sentence 
that might be committed by the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-
Torres."

Kim looked up at her client.

"Maria Elena, you are now convicted and sentenced. You need to 
come down and kneel at the judge's table."

Once Maria Elena was kneeling on the floor the judge issued 
another command. The collar technician walked up to her and put a 
measuring tape around her neck. He checked the pulse of her 
jugular vein and wrote down the measurement from the tape. He 
left and shortly returned with the collar-fitting device, which 
looked like an enormous pair of salad tongs. Maria Elena glanced 
at it in terror.

"That's what they use to put the Ministry collar on you," 
explained Cecilia. "It won't hurt."

The technician slipped the imposing tong-device over Maria 
Elena's head and closed it around her neck. He checked to make 
sure it would not pinch her skin, and then clamped it shut. There 
was a faint hiss and a dull click. When the man opened the device 
and moved it away, Criminal # 101025 had a metal collar around 
her neck. Maria Elena now was marked as a convicted criminal by a 
collar that was virtually indestructible. Like every other person 
who had been collared, Maria Elena's hands went involuntarily to 
her neck to feel the device that permanently set her apart from 
the world of free citizens.

The court attendants were collapsing the prisoner's stand to 
reveal the switching table. Maria Elena glanced at it not so much 
in fear, but rather in sad resignation. Over the past two weeks, 
Kim and Cecilia had told her how to behave in court and what to 
expect, so there was no need to explain now. Kim would release 
custody of her client to the airport dog handler, he would punish 
her and present her to the judge, she would thank him, and she 
then would return to the police station to spend a painful 
afternoon on the recovery table in Kim's office.

Kim and Cecilia, with Maria Elena kneeling at their side, saluted 
the airport officer and his partner. There was the tap of the 
switch on Maria Elena's shoulder, which was the cop's recognition 
that Criminal # 101025 had been handed over to his custody for 
the duration of her punishment. The dog handler's partner tapped 
the criminal on the shoulder, pointed at the switching table and 
touched one of the straps, indicating that she needed to position 
her hands so she could be immobilized. Maria Elena reluctantly 
complied. The female officer tightened the leather around the 
criminal's right wrist, then took her left hand and immobilized 
her other arm. She tightened a thick strap around Maria Elena's 
waist before tapping the insides of her thighs to force her to 
spread her legs. The criminal felt the cuffs tighten around her 
ankles, forcing her legs to remain spread and completely exposing 
her bottom. The cop placed the switch in front of Maria Elena's 
face to let her see, close up, the implement with which she would 
be punished. That small taunt had the effect he wanted; the 
criminal began trembling with fright.

Cecilia whispered in Spanish:

"Maria Elena, a lot of people have sacrificed for you. You need 
to be brave and show everyone you have guts and honor. It's gonna 
be hard, but you've got to do it."

Maria Elena took a deep breath and nodded, but she couldn't stop 
from trembling.

The dog handler exchanged glances with his partner, and then with 
the Spokeswoman. He picked up the switch and tapped the implement 
to Maria Elena's bottom to let her know where the first stroke 
was going to land. He repositioned himself slightly, drew back, 
and struck hard at the base of her buttocks. A reddish line 
appeared and quickly began to darken as Maria Elena winced and 
clenched her fists. The pain continued to mount...and that was 
just one stroke...the first out of 50. Tears welled up in her 
eyes and she continued to tremble, but managed not to make any 
noise. Honor...stay silent and defend your honor, she thought to 
herself.

The dog handler slashed the switch through the air several times 
before tapping Maria Elena's bottom again and striking another 
vicious blow. A second line of solid pain marked her exposed 
bottom, soon to be joined by a third, a fourth, a fifth. The 
criminal bit hard on her lip. She couldn't believe how much the 
blows hurt, but she managed to stay silent. For a while she 
pressed her forehead against the table as she involuntarily 
pulled hard against her cuffs. She understood that there was no 
way the officer would show her any mercy and no way that either 
her Spokeswoman or anyone else could help her. However, as hard 
as it might be, she knew that she had to show Kim and Cecilia, as 
well as her two tormentors, the courtroom, and most importantly 
herself, that she could take a severe punishment would courage 
and dignity. It had to be that way, a vital step in her path to 
personal redemption and to the beginning of the rest of her life.

The dog handler punished Maria Elena in the normal methodical 
manner that was taught at the National Police Academy. He tapped 
the victim's bottom to let her know where the next stroke would 
land, drew back, and then delivered a fearful blow. He waited for 
his subject to fully appreciate the pain from the stroke. After 
about 40 seconds he tapped his target and struck again. He slowly 
worked his way up towards the top of her bottom leaving it 
covered with 20 welts. Starting with the 21st stroke he slowly 
worked his way back down, trying as best he could to aim at the 
unmarked skin between the reddish lines on Maria Elena's agonized 
backside. He wanted to leave her bottom a solid mass of evenly 
placed welts before moving on to her thighs and shoulders.

Sweat and tears poured down Maria Elena's face as she gasped 
through her clenched teeth. Her knees were shaking and her body 
jerked each time the switch landed. The punishment was a real 
judicial whipping, far more severe than the paddling she had 
faced in the interrogation room. As the pain intensified, it 
forced her mind off of everything else that had occupied her 
thoughts over the last several weeks. Her old life had completely 
ended. Even as everything else faded in her mind: the blows drove 
that point home. Her old life was gone and all she had left was 
her future as a Danubian criminal.

The cop continued striking viciously. He carefully laid a series 
of hard strokes at the base of Maria Elena's bottom cheeks and 
then continued down her thighs. As the painful area extended 
beyond her bottom, Maria Elena couldn't resist any longer. At the 
28th stroke she let out a cry and began sobbing, totally 
humiliated that she had not been able to stay silent after-all. 
Kim and Cecilia exchanged looks. She still had 22 strokes and 30 
minutes of punishment to go. As the cop continued to land blows 
on the criminal's legs she sobbed, but managed to avoid 
screaming.

As the welts swelled and darkened, the Spokeswoman carefully 
watched the final portion of the punishment. It was her duty to 
make sure the cop did not come close to breaking her client's 
skin, and if she felt that the criminal was in any danger she 
could order him to strike another part of her body. At the 43rd 
stoke Kim raised her hand and pointed at the Colombian's exposed 
back. The cop would have to finish by laying blows across his 
victim's shoulders to spare her badly swollen bottom. She 
screamed pitifully as each of the final blows landed. 

Nearly an hour after the punishment began, the cop struck for the 
50th time and Kim was able to raise her hand. It was the 
Spokesperson's job, not the cop's job, to make sure the switching 
did not go beyond 50 strokes. Maria Elena's body was jerking with 
sobs and her bottom was deep red, with a series of dark purple 
lines punctuating where the dog handler had landed his final 
blows before moving on to her shoulders. Seven solid reddish 
stripes crossed her upper back.

Kim and the cop saluted each other as the man's partner began 
unbuckling the broken prisoner. In spite of what she thought 
about her own resistance, Maria Elena had held up fairly well. 
She wasn't the bravest criminal Kim had ever defended, but at 
least she had not dishonored herself either. Once the straps were 
completely unbuckled, she struggled to get off the table. The 
pain seemed to be getting worse, not better, even though the 
punishment was completed. In spite of what everyone had warned 
her, she couldn't believe how much the switching actually hurt. 
Her legs trembled and barely supported her weight as she 
struggled to get up. She was unsteady while standing, but the dog 
handler and his partner grabbed her arms, walked her over to the 
judge, and turned her around. The judge counted the strokes to 
make sure she had been struck 50 times before signing the 
punishment certificate. Once he stamped that document, the two 
cops led the still-crying criminal to Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna. 
Cecilia translated:

"OK, that's it. All you gotta do is get on your knees and thank 
the officer. Just kiss his shoes and say 'thank you for 
correcting my evil behavior'."

Maria Elena clumsily got on her knees and between sobs repeated 
the required sentence in Spanish, which Cecilia translated for 
the court. The cop touched Maria Elena on the shoulder with his 
switch and saluted Kim. The Spokeswoman saluted back, and with 
that formal custody of Criminal # 101025 was transferred back to 
her. 

With her client slumped on her knees at her feet, the Spokeswoman 
saluted the judge. He asked if Criminal # 101025 had gainful 
employment that exposed her body to public view. Kim responded 
that she did, explaining about the gardening position at the 
university. The judge was satisfied and stamped another document 
verifying that Maria Elena already was working.

There was one final indignity waiting for Maria Elena at the 
Courthouse, one that was a final ritual of her trial and 
conviction. Immediately following her switching, Criminal # 
101025 had to pose for a series of photos for her official 
sentencing certificate. The certificate included two photos of 
her teary face, now complete with her permanent collar, and three 
shots of her body, with the evidence of her switching on 
prominent display. Sadly she turned around for the camera, 
knowing that the welts on her body would be forever part of her 
official criminal record.

----------

A few minutes later Criminal # 101025 exited the Central 
Courthouse with her Spokeswoman and translator. Kim held her arm 
as she struggled to get down the stairs, but informed her that 
she would need to walk across the plaza unassisted.

She passed 13 naked kneeling classmates, who looked at her 
injured backside in horror. The Americans were not allowed to say 
anything, because they had been instructed that to maintain the 
dignity of their solidarity they needed to remain silent. As soon 
as she crossed the plaza they would be allowed to stand up, after 
nearly four hours of kneeling. However, they would have to 
accompany the Priest to the Temple of the Ancients and go through 
the purification ritual to begin formal Public Penance. The 
physical agony of kneeling in silence had ended, but their 
commitment to Criminal # 101025 had only begun.

Maria Elena made her way across the plaza towards the Central 
Police Station, a journey made by every criminal following trial 
and conviction. It was a long, agonizing trip that exposed her 
punished body to hundreds of ordinary people running about. A 
recently convicted and punished criminal always drew a lot of 
attention, so most of the people in the plaza stood still to 
watch as the injured woman made her way to the police station. 
Kim and Cecilia gave their assistance to help Maria Elena get up 
the steps to the entrance, and again assisted her as she made her 
way up the steps leading to the third floor and the Spokeswoman's 
office.

Merchant Victor Dukov was waiting for Criminal # 101025. 
Exhausted and traumatized she fell into his arms. She began 
crying again, as he did what he needed to do, hold her and not 
say anything. He gently helped her get on a recovery table and 
continued holding her hand as she lay on her stomach. Victor 
continued massaging his lover's hand as she quietly cried on the 
table. After a long time she finally fell asleep, happy that he 
was with her.

As they waited for Maria Elena to go to sleep, Kim and Cecilia 
stood in silence, enormously relieved that the trial and 
punishment had ended. Finally Kim commented:

"Go check on your students. And make sure they know that I am 
very grateful for what they did for her. Because of what they 
did, I got 20 years cut off her sentence and her switchings 
reduced by two thirds, if not more. Make sure they realize they 
made a difference, and that I am honored to have them in this 
country."

Cecilia nodded and left the police station. As she entered the 
Central Plaza, she realized that in one day 13 of her students 
had learned more about what it meant to have honor in Danubia 
than she could have taught them in an entire semester.

