Justice in Space MF FF punishment Rom SciFi
Synopsis
In a technically very advanced spacestation, Ralph Hanley decides to avenge the murder of his wife by using corporal punishment, completely outlawed on earth, on petty criminals. One severely punished girl wins the hearts of the station’s staff and then the whole world.

Please take note!
The text in this story contains erotic material and is expressly written for adults only. 
MF FF punishment Rom SciFi
If you are an underage minor or offended by such material -or- if viewing this file is illegal in your locality, then leave, close or delete this file-story now. 

This is a work of fiction, any resemblance to persons living, dead or otherwise is purely coincidental, etc.
Copyright obohobo 2001

Justice in Space
by obohobo
Chapter 1. The capture
Four RH500's left Spacestation Molly and headed for earth covering the thousand miles in few minutes and hovered about eight miles above their destinations. It was 11 p.m. on a warm Saturday evening in May and in the four cities, Liverpool, Brixham, Birmingham, and Bradford, there was always trouble around that time on a Saturday. Violence, drugs, muggings had now become a fact of life, not just in these four areas but also in most towns in England. Restrictive legislation brought in by do-gooders both in Great Britain and the European Community had limited police powers so much, they were fighting a losing battle. Even when arrests were made the courts rarely gave more than a token sentence. Police morale was at an all time low. Why put themselves at risk when any arrest might lead to accusations of malpractice, suspension and dismissal? It was easier and safer to ignore the violent element and to patrol peaceful urban areas.
******
Ralph Hanley, early in his career, discovered a way of reducing domestic waste into its component molecules, electrons and protons by using a complex version of a microwave oven. However, when several environmental groups heard of it, they accused him of using nuclear power and generating nuclear emissions. None of which was true but the situation, hyped up by the press and media, fuelled large demonstrations and protest marches. To avoid further problems of this nature, he kept future research to himself and just a few of his loyal laboratory workers. Between them they found a way of isolating the component molecules and manipulating them into materials that had many properties not found in the natural product or if they were, the natural material would be very expensive. They found they could make gold, platinum and diamonds that were indistinguishable from the natural material and sales from these and other man made materials financed further research.
During the combining it was found the material could be forced through a flexible, computer controlled slit to produce sheet material of any shape or form and any degree of hardness or softness. Anything from aircraft panels to soft furnishings.
But Ralph considered his greatest breakthrough came when isolating protons. He found when they were combined with an odd number of electrons, a considerable amount of energy was produced and it only required a very small electrical input to keep the energy re-creating itself. Soon the team was producing small, silent engines of great power but incredibly small size. A disused World War II airfield was purchased and used first to test proton-powered cars and then aircraft. In turn this led to the production of spacecraft only dreamed of by the scientists at NASA. They had speeds in space of mach 100 or more but were completely silent. In the earth's atmosphere speeds were necessarily lower but even so, the craft could encircle the earth at a height of six miles in two hours. Moreover, they could fly extremely slowly and hover with the only noise being the sound of the air passing over the deltoid wings.
When environmental groups started nosing at the airfield, Ralph Hanley decided to move to where no one could see his work. He built two large spacecraft and set off for the now defunct multinational spacestation. It would provide temporary accommodation while he built his own. First he encased the whole of station in a much larger structure and when that was complete, used the spacecraft as tugs to move the station to a position further into space where it could orbit the earth without coming under too intense scrutiny. A year later, the space station, now called Molly after his late wife, was fully equipped and the old multinational station dismantled from inside it. The orbit was again changed so it was largely centred over Great Britain. Observation cameras with multi-channel digital computer enhancement, produced crystal clear pictures of any part of country and recorded it on his version of DVD disks which held several thousand times more information. He also sent out spacecraft with similar camera recording equipment and used them to spy on various parts of the world. However, his main interest was in England. That is where he was born. That is where he lived until he moved into the Molly Spacestation. Now at the age of 72, he was semi-retired. His son James, (Ralph never shortened it to Jim), carried on where his father left off. Ralph though, was still a strong force in the organisation. He held strong convictions about the lack of discipline in his country and abhorred the way the do-gooders and environmentalists seemed to control what the government could do. He abhorred the way the police had to pussyfoot around and not be able to touch known criminals. He abhorred the way some children could get away with a life of crime without any punishment because they were considered juveniles and therefore not legally responsible for their actions. Ralph was determined to swing the pendulum back the other way. His body might not be as active as it was a few years earlier but his mind was still clear and very sharp. His son held similar views and had inherited his father's brain, which at 32, was still combined with good physical shape.
Ralph's dislike for do-gooders and the justice system were turned to hatred by the events that surrounded the death of his wife. 
She had dropped James at his school and was driving to the lab when she remembered leaving some documents by her bedside. Ralph had been working all that night on his latest brainchild so she had read the documents in bed and had forgotten to return them to her briefcase. As she walked into the utility room three men obviously intent on burgling the house, confronted her. One made a move towards her so she grabbed a broom with the idea of defending herself. Unfortunately she didn't notice his companion move behind her, pick up a full wine bottle and hit her on the head. Molly never regained consciousness.
Even at that time, Ralph had set up a video camera system, which caught the men on tape as they both entered and left the house. The police recognised them and quickly had them under arrest. At their trial a smart lawyer argued that Molly had ferociously attacked them with a broom and they had feared for their lives. The unfortunate tap on the head was only meant to calm her down and protect them. They were each sentenced to three months for attempted burglary. The paltry sentence understandably enraged Ralph who thereafter took every opportunity to condemn the justice system and those who promoted leniency for criminals.
*******
Each RH500 hovered above their appointed town and watched on the monitors until an incident took place, then dropped at an amazing speed to under a hundred feet above the ground. It let down an air chute tube through which two humans dressed in metallic blue overall suits, and six robots descended. Of course the sudden appearance of the spacecraft startled those below but the troublemakers had already been selected and there was no time to run away. The humans immediately used silent stun guns to immobilise them and the robots carried the unconscious criminals back to the air tube. In seconds, the spacecraft were returning to the station. Those folk remaining at the scene would hardly believe it had happened. Something out of X files? Or a dream? Aliens? Rumours abounded.

Chapter 2. The punishments
Fifty-one people, 15 females and 36 males, ranging in ages from 10 years to 35, lay on the floor of the main hall in the spacestation. Their wrists were fastened behind their backs with a special tie that needed a key to unlock. They were naked apart from a hospital type gown that had been thrown over their shoulders. A few were beginning to waken. James with his personal robot at his side, stood at the front waiting for all to become aware of their surroundings. The other pilots and their robos lined the other three sides of the room. At James' signal the robots methodically moved the captives into lines and had them kneel so each was sitting on their heels and facing the front. At first a few protested loudly but were quickly silenced with a gag and a few strokes of a strap wielded by one of the robos. One big brute of a man, 'Bulldog, tried to fight off a robo but soon found their grip was far more powerful than his own. His fists were useless against the titanium-reinforced plastic of a robo's 'flesh'. 
"Ladies and gentlemen," began James as he formally addressed the captives, "You will, I'm sure, want to know where you are, why you are here and what is going to happen to you." James went on to explain their whereabouts although few believed him and when told why they were there, some protested their innocence. When told of their impending punishments, for a while there was uproar. Many more professed innocence, others demanded to see their brief or to be allowed a phone call. Quickly the robos restored order.
******
Kate Wiley and her camera operator, Jayne Felsom were in Brixton interviewing bystanders for the 24 Hour Newschannel. The stories varied but the recurring theme was of blue aliens arriving out of the sky, hypnotising and carting people away. Only a few mentioned the trouble and fighting before the Bluemen and robots arrived. Confused, the pair finished filming and packed their gear. "Do you really believe this blue alien stuff?" Jayne asked her partner.
"No, but we are getting reports that it has happened in other parts of the country too." They returned to the flat they shared near the news studios and prepared for bed. It had been a long night and they were tired, almost too tired to cuddle each other as they lay naked beneath the sheets. They were more than a news team; they were lovers. Kate, a natural vivacious blonde tiredly pulled the plainer featured Jayne to her breast and allowed her to suckle on a nipple before they both fell asleep. 
The phone rang. "Dammit," yelled Kate, "Can't they let us sleep!" They knew only the studio and a few personal friends had their flat phone number. "Yes!" Kate growled into the phone.
"Kate? You won't know me but I am one of the Bluemen. We are not aliens but we are living in space and we have abducted a number of people who were causing trouble last evening and are holding them captive awaiting punishment. Would you and your camera woman like to see and film the true story?"
"Look, even if I believed you, we are tired. We've worked over 23 hours straight. I don't know how you got our number but we've no time for tom fool pranks."
"Okay Kate. You don't believe me now but in a few minutes you will!"
"Who was that?" Jayne asked sleepily.
"He said he was one of the Bluemen."
"Another crackpot! Come here and give me another cuddle." Jayne reached over and pulled her friend to her. They slept for another 35 minutes.
Ding-dong. Ding-dong. The doorbell rang and was immediately followed by the door opening to the extent of the security chain. Snick. The chain was cut and two Bluemen stepped inside followed by two robos. Actually one of the Bluemen was a woman, which her well-fitted suit revealed. The management liked to have male and female partnerships on space ships because they tended to form intimate bondings that kept the pair together and made for a better working relationship. Robert Frenshaw and Marjorie Jennings was just such a couple. They had been together as a team for over a year and had known each other for much longer. Had they been leading a more normal lifestyle on earth, they would have married and had a family by now. On the space station, Robert had his monthly shot to keep his sperm sterile but otherwise they had a normal sex life.
Marjorie lifted the visor that covered her face. "Please get dressed and pick up your recording gear. You are coming with us. Then you will believe."
The frightened girls pulled the bedclothes tightly to their bodies. "Please go away," screamed Jayne, but any further comment was stifled by one of the robos ripping the sheets from her body and lifting her out of bed and into the shower room. Kate was likewise dumped in the shower. Robert had little time to admire the bodies of the two naked women particularly the luscious Kate but he felt his cock rise inside his suit. There was no time for that now though. Marjorie turned on the cold water, which soon brought the two girls fully awake. A few minutes later she turned the water off and threw them towels. "Now please get dressed and get your recording gear."
Jayne and Kate dried themselves under the watchful, if insensitive, 'eyes' of the two robos and Robert whose eyes were much more lustful. They dressed, picked up the necessary gear and were lead outside. Robert suggested Jayne allow Robo Henry carry the heavy video camera which after expressing some misgivings and receiving reassurances, she agreed to especially as she was extremely tired after the long day yesterday and the short night. Kate enquired if all the robots had names and was told, yes and each of the Bluemen had their own personal ones although others often used them. Each had their own little idiosyncrasies and foibles even though technically identical. 
Marjorie radioed to her spacecraft and the co-pilot and navigator dropped the craft from its holding position to within a few feet of the rooftops and lowered the air chute. Minutes later they were docked inside the Molly Spacestation. Robert went to see what was happening with the prisoners and returned to say, "Only a few have woken up so we have chance to show you around the station first."
"Can I use the loo?" asked Jayne, "You do have such things up here?"
"Yes, but you may be in for a bit of shock," laughed Marjorie, "Everything is very open plan." 
The guests were lead to a spacious room with rows of toilets, urinals, showers, baths and washbasins. All open and on view. No cubicles; no curtains. Everything though was clinically clean. Seeing their rather shocked expressions, Marjorie continued to laugh as she said, "Its okay, you get used to it and we've all seen each other often enough and it’s easier to keep clean and keeps the weight of the space station down. Marjorie opened her suit and slipped the bottom all the way down, showing she wore nothing underneath, and plonked herself on one of the loos. Robert walked to a urinal and peed. Kate and Jayne thought "What the hell, when in Rome etc...", lowered their trousers and knickers and sat down too. 
They had hardly started to pee when in came three robos each carrying one of the prisoners, still with their wrists tied and their upper bodies covered with hospital gowns. Each was deposited on a toilet. A Blueman followed them in, "Do what you have to now, it may be a while before you get another chance." Kate noticed one was a young girl of about 19 and when she finished the robot wiped her dry with tissue. 
Robert introduced George, the Blueman, before they continued their tour. Jayne shouldered her camera and started filming. "You don't mind if I film any of this, do you?" 
"Go ahead," Marjorie replied, "I don't think there is anything you won't be allowed to film. Kate, you might like to do a commentary as we go along and Robert and I will try and answer any questions. I can get Communications to link you directly to your studio so they too can see everything as it happens and broadcast it straight away or when they see fit." Minutes later a robot brought a small box and Marjorie plugged in into Jayne's camera. "It will send the pictures and commentary direct to Earth now," she informed them.
One of their first thrills was to look from an observation window and see the earth in all its roundness. Something only astronauts normally see but as funds had been withheld from the space exploration programme, it had been some years since any human had been in space. Kate wondered how on earth they managed to get here in ordinary clothing when astronauts had to wear special suits but didn't get time to ask before they were whisked on to the next place.
Arriving at the main hall, they found the prisoners were now all awake and sitting in formal rows. James stood at the front with his father sitting close by.
"Ladies and gentlemen," James started, "May I introduce Kate Wiley and her camera operator, Jayne Felsom, Some of you may recognise Kate from her interviews on the 24 Hour Newschannel. They will be reporting on the events that will happen here in the next few hours." He turned to Jayne, "Have you been informed that you may film anything you wish and Kate, you may interview anyone here provided it doesn't interrupt any of the proceedings." Both nodded, yes. "I am sorry some are gagged at the moment, their mouths were bigger than their minds."
Turning to the kneeling figures, James began his well-rehearsed spiel. "You will want to know where you are, why you are here, what is going to happen to you and when you are going to return home. First you are on the Molly Spacestation about one thousand miles above Earth. Why you are here is a question that requires a longer answer but in essence it because you have all committed crimes of violence, crimes the police in Britain seem unable to deal with effectively. We are going to redress that by returning to traditional punishment methods that were found effective in the 18th and 19th centuries. That is corporal punishment. You will all receive one or more thrashings." At this there was an outcry from many of the prisoners but the robos soon had them sitting back in their places. 
"That was banned years ago!" "Its illegal!" "That's inhuman!" The last remark was from a big youth of 20 with tattooed arms and a shaved head. A large screen behind James lit up showing this same man, punching a much smaller youth until the lad lay bleeding on the ground. 
"Is that not inhuman too?" enquired James. "This is not a court of law," continued James, "We do not have to find you guilty or reach a verdict or hear arguments from clever lawyers. You are all guilty and we have pictures like this of all of you. Yes, the punishments you are to receive are illegal in most parts of the world but that is a long way away and you are no longer there. You come under our jurisdiction. We have decided to make a stand and punish you in a way that you will understand. It will be swift and very painful. It will be memorable! And we are hoping that Kate and Jayne will relay pictures of the punishments back to their studio. Then they can be transmitted all around the world as an example to others. We hope this will act as a deterrent so that ordinary people will be able to go out at night or just sleep peaceably in their beds without fear of being hurt."
"Now to your punishments. The standard punishment will be twelve strokes of the cane applied by one of the robos to your bare backside. A force setting of 'hard' will be used which should raise painful stripes that will be visible for about a month but shouldn't leave permanent scars. For the young boys we may reduce the setting to 'medium' and for any recalcitrant prisoners we can increase the setting to 'full force', which may cause bleeding and scarring. We will not do this unless there is strong provocation. Extra strokes may be added or the number reduced, as we deem necessary. While you were unconscious, a doctor examined you and we have taken blood and at the moment, tests are being carried out on the samples. All tests will be complete by the end of the punishment time."
"You will all witness each other being punished while the screen shows why the punishment is carried out. Afterwards you will be taken in groups to the showers and then to the zero gravity room where you will be able to rest without having to lie on a bed. Tomorrow most of you will be taken back to Earth naked and put on display in a public place for one hour until your time controlled bonding is released. Your ordinary clothes and other items you had will be left beside you except for drugs and offensive weapons. These have already been destroyed."
"However, twelve of you will be kept for further month for special training. Those we have chosen for this training are over 16 years old and are persistent offenders. We have been able to access all your records, official and unofficial so we know a great deal about you already."
There was a general murmur throughout the hall but with the most vociferous already gagged and the others being aware any outburst might cause further punishment, this was limited to low muttering and sobbing from a few of the girls and the two young boys. One girl sat up and spoke, "Sir, will we be able to plead mitigating circumstances and try to get our punishments reduced?"
"Were your victims allowed that luxury?" countered James. "Now let us get this over with. You have been allocated a number with corresponds with the track number on the video disk of your offence. It is a code number the robos understand. The numbers are in random order more or less as we compiled them. We know your names and have the phone numbers of most of your parents or guardians but a few we still need. If you are one of them or you wish us to contact someone else, please state their name and other details we ask for clearly. We will be contacting them to let them know where you are and when and where they can pick you up tomorrow."
Two plastic-reinforced trestles stood at the front of the hall. Simple in design but very functional. At a command from James, two robos picked up the first two youths and carried them like babies to the trestles. Both were 16 year olds who had beaten two younger boys into giving them money for drugs. The screen showed the pair of them punching and kicking the boys into submission. The robos quickly clipped the youth's ankles in the stirrups then, pulling the gown up, held each boy down of the trestle by simply pressing on their shoulders. Both boys were screaming now and yelling obscenities at James and the robos. James ignored them, the robos were not programmed to receive their wavelengths so were totally deaf to their pleas.
All the rest of the group stared at the two bare arses and the cocks and balls swinging free as the boys struggled against the robos grip. Two more robos appeared each with two artificial 'rattan' canes, one in each 'hand'. They positioned themselves to the left side of their victims. "Six with each. Hard. 10 seconds." James gave the order. Immediately each robo scanned the target area, the fleshy area from the crease at the top of the thighs to a little below the spine, and divided it into twelve equal spaces. Slightly out of synchronization, the two robos lifted the cane in the right hand and brought it down on the lower part of the target areas. One boy let out a piecing scream, the other tried to remain silent. A livid red stripe appeared on each arse. Ten seconds later, the robos raised their canes again and brought them down on the target areas a little above the previous one. Another painful red stripe. 
By now the onlookers were either crying or looking very worried, they knew their turn would come sooner or later. A few tried to run away but there was nowhere to run to and the robos quickly restrained them. Jayne tried to hold her camera steady but with her whole body was shaking, it was not an easy task. Never before had she had to film anything like this. Despite the fact that nudity was now a common feature on television, she doubted if the film would ever be shown without at least the boys' cocks and balls being blurred over. Kate could only stutter a commentary. 
The caning continued methodically, each stroke being delivered at precisely 10-second intervals. When each arse had received six strokes the robos changed sides and canes and delivered the next six from the right side of each boy. The stripes were placed with computer generated laser controlled precision between those already delivered. Both boys were now screaming and sobbing uncontrollably. At the completion of the caning, robos freed the boys from the trestles and returned them face down to their places on the hall floor.
Two more were selected. This time a huge hulk of a man aged 21. Short haircut, tattoos and well muscled. The gown hardly came down to his waist so his large cock was very visible especially as it was half-hard. The sight of the previous boys caning had stimulated as well as horrifying him. His huge frame and demeanour had meant that few had challenged him and his previous fights had brought him little pain. He was a powerful fellow but no match for the hydraulic powered servos of the robos. They carried him child-like to a trestle, fastened his ankles and pressed his shoulders down. He had previously been gagged for his verbal interruptions and obscenities and this was now removed. Once again a torrent of abuse and invective came forth but this was ignored although it helped to heighten the horror of the atmosphere.
Another robo carried a girl to the second trestle and fastened her down. Sarah was about 17 with dyed green hair and a stud in her nose. Her crime was to force younger girls into prostitution. If they didn't agree, they had their faces and breasts slashed. The same instruction was given to the caning robos. The onlookers were however much surprised by the fortitude of the girl and the noise made by the male. Some of the male onlookers became horny and erect at the sight of the girl’s cunt so openly on display and both Jayne and Kate felt moistness between their thighs, Jayne particularly as she viewed the girl’s cunt in close-up through the viewfinder. She would have liked to have kissed the sore arse and tongued the tender cunt but her professionalism kept her filming. At the end of the punishment both were carried and laid down on the floor. Both openly crying. The remaining girls sat horrified. They now knew beyond all doubt there would be no leniency because of their sex. They would be subject to the same punishment as the men.
The canings continued until about halfway through a tiny girl with a fiery personality was called up. Sheila Simkins, at 18 years old was still only 4 ft 11 inches tall and small framed but she was one big bundle of hell. All her life she'd had to fight with a fierceness that overcame her physical size. Her mother was a drunkard and chain smoker, which may have accounted for Sheila's small size. She never knew her father. Having been involved in many crimes and seen by psychiatrists and counsellors, all without having the least effect, she carried her life of crime. On screen pictures showed her attacking a pensioner who had refused to release her handbag. The old lady ended up in hospital with a cut face and multiple bruises.
Seeing the robo about to grab her she bounced up and racing between other robos, she threw herself at James, kicking him with her bare feet. Unfortunately, the wrist restraints didn't help her balance and she slipped over but even on the floor she was able to trip James and aim a kick at his crotch, which luckily didn't connect with any real force. Robos quickly grabbed her and she too was positioned over the trestle alongside another rather timid girl. The screen showed her first helping a boy rob a coloured man but then restraining the boy from causing further injury to the man. Her boy partner had already received his caning and was lying on the floor.
James ordered the usual six and six strokes for Sheila but for Mary, the timid girl, for the first time that session reduced the number to four and four for trying to save the coloured man. Even so Mary was soon screaming and sobbing. Sheila though took her punishment without showing too much emotion. The robo finished his caning of her but she was not released, as had been all the others. James himself took the cane, "Sorry my little Spitfire, I cannot cane with the precision of the robots but nevertheless I will cross their stripes with a few of my own. Your outburst is not going unpunished."
He laid four more strokes diagonally across those already there. These did bring, "AAAAWWWWHHH!! You bastard," from Sheila. She was sobbing as the robot returned her to the floor but wasn't otherwise complaining. "Tough little bitch," thought James as he watched her being carried back.
It was another hour before the canings were finished. The torment of those awaiting their turn was only matched by the pain of those lying on the floor unable to touch their tender arses. Eventually it was all over and the robos selected twelve and placed them apart from the others. The remainder were released from their bonds and taken to the toilet room and then to gravity free room and were allowed to float free. However, they also found it was not too easy to massage their buttocks when floating freely in space. Some of the men's cocks became hard when they found they were in a comparatively confined space with nine near naked females. Mary linked up with her boyfriend Brian, and holding themselves closely together, were able to massage each other. They were past caring to notice if any others were watching and when Brian's erection started to penetrate her cunt she actively tried to encourage him despite the difficulties of staying in one place and pain from the caning. 
James' voice came over the intercom, "You are going to remain in here for two hours and then you will be given breakfast. Afterwards the doctor will examine you before we return you here again for a further rest period until about four o'clock. You will then be returned to Earth where, as I told you earlier, you with your caning stripes will be put on public display for one hour. Then you will be released and be free to return to your homes. We want the public, and others like you, to know how similar behaviour will be treated in the future. It may take several sessions like this before the message gets through, but I am sure in the end, we can reduce this sort of violent crime and can then turn our attention to things like petty theft and minor crimes. One positive thing you may not realise about this form of punishment is that there is no police record of it. You committed a crime, you have been punished and that's the end of it. You will be watched in future and if you are brought here again you can expect double the caning given twice. In other words most of you would have 24 strokes of the cane and then a few days later another 24."
Kate's boss in the newsroom decided to broadcast live when Sheila was receiving her punishment and this was transmitted throughout Britain although there would not be too many viewers at that time of night. An hour later a more in depth report went out as newsroom editors put together an edited version of the material that had been sent over the previous couple of hours. This was again shown on breakfast time news, which brought the first news of it to most members of the public. As expected it brought forth cries of torture and inhuman activity from vociferous human rights groups but, more surprisingly, provoked a huge backlash from the general public who were fed up with listening to the 'softies' and being fearful to go on the streets alone for fear of injury. For them, the goings on at the Molly Spacestation was to be praised and encouraged, not condemned. 
The wrists of the six girls and six boys that remained in the hall were released. At last they were able to rub their tender rears. They were strangely silent apart from emitting the obvious cries of pain. All were in the 18 to 22 age group, all were loners, and all had little or no home life. Sheila was in this group. After visiting the toilets where not even the girls wanted to sit down they were lead to a bedroom area alongside the toilet room and part of the same open space. The area had twelve single beds with just a small walk space between them. 
James accompanied the group. "This will be your home for the next month. Part of your training will be to learn to live together and to work as a team. Failures will be punished, usually with a strap for minor infringements but the cane will be reserved for more serious misdemeanours. I doubt if any of you will wish that. For the rest of today you will be free to wander around this area, the hall and the observational deck or you can sleep or talk or massage each other. You can use the baths or showers. We will not even object to you pairing off and making love if that is what you wish but rape will not be tolerated. Tomorrow all the men will be given a injection which will immediately make their sperm sterile for about six weeks so no sex until then. We use the same injections every month for the male staff here so we know they are effective. Ladies, once they have the injection you need have no fear of pregnancy from them. What you do and say will be monitored all the time. There is no privacy here. That is one of the things you have forfeited. I have the little room on your left that has a two-way mirror and video monitors so I can see what you are doing but you cannot see me. At the other end is Rachel's room where she has the same observational facilities. Either she or I will be on duty at night. Along the other side there are the crew's rooms. All of these rooms and mine and Rachel's are out of bounds to you. Our rooms are electronically protected and there are robos around that are always at our command. Unlike us, they do not sleep. Breakfast will be in one hour. You will eat with the staff in the cafeteria. I think that's all for now, we'll have a longer chat session after you've eaten."

Chapter 3. Spitfire's first day
Kate and Jayne were very weary. They had very little sleep, had been filming, and had witnessed some very unpleasant acts, some of which had stimulated them, but now they were just dead tired. Marjorie took them to one of the side rooms with a bed and allowed them to sleep. "Nothing much will happen until late this afternoon but I will wake you around 1 o'clock and see if you would like lunch. And don't worry, no one here will condemn you for loving each other." The pair were too tired to undress and just fell asleep on top of the bed and wrapped in each others arms.
Robert and Marjorie had their own rooms but generally they lived and slept in Robert's. They had been at work all night and now they were off duty. Stripping off their blue suits they walked naked to the showers and started soaping each other. John and Jackie, the two 'Jays' from the same space ship appeared a minute or two later and took the adjacent shower. Some of the captives wandered in and watched from a discreet distance. Jackie asked John if the sight of the captives being caned had made him horny. The answer was obvious from his hard throbbing cock. He rammed it into her moist cunt and started pounding away "Does that answer your question?" he responded. 
Robert had had a session with Marjorie before they went for a shower but even so his prick started to rise while watching his neighbours performing. Both he and Marjorie were pretty much whacked. Seeing Sheila watching Marjorie called out, "Hey, Spitfire, you can shower too if you wish. It might ease some of the fire in your bum."
"They didn't give us towels," replied Sheila coming closer. 
"Don't need them here. The air dryers are just over there. Come on in I'll show you how to use the showers and things then you can show the others." Marjorie broke away from Robert when Sheila came over. Sheila took her gown off and Marjorie showed her how to use the shower and dryers. Unfortunately, Sheila could barely reach the controls so that when she stretched it sent shocking pains through her arse. Marjorie helped her and altered the position of the showerhead. All this was too much for the small girl. The pain, the humiliation that had been bottled up inside her came out as a flood of tears. She sobbed and sobbed. Marjorie pulled the girl close to her and held her tightly then, kneeling down she kissed the crying girl fully on the mouth. Her ample breasts pressed tightly against those of the younger girl. "Rob, you go and dry off, I'll be with you in a while," she said. The two Jays finished their fuck and also moved to the dryer. Sheila continued to cry but gradually the sobs because less pronounced and finally stopped.
Carefully, Marjorie washed her small charge. "My God," she said, "I hope I never have to take a thrashing like that." The weals now stood well proud of the surface and had turned a colourful hue. 
"That bastard James is very cruel. I hate his guts. I'd just love to get him on one of these stools," Sheila sobbed.
"No, you have him wrong. He is not cruel but he and his father have a thing about do-gooders and violence. He really believes that he is being kind to you and that you will appreciate it later in life."
"How can thrashing people like that be bloody kind?"
"How can what you did to that old lady be kind?" countered Marjorie. They moved to the dryer, now watched by more of the captives. Whilst they were drying she hugged the girl. Afterwards Sheila still couldn't figure out how being so cruel was being kind but she felt as if she had a friend in Marjorie. 
"Put your gown on and I will pick you up and take you to breakfast in about a quarter of an hour. You'll find the staff here don't wear very much when we're off duty so you don't worry about not being covered... And show those boys how to work the shower. They sure do need it!"
Sheila did as she requested noting as she did so how colourful all their arses were and how most of the boys were half-hard. Did she do that or was it just the warmth from the caning? At the moment she had no such feelings. Only soreness and pain every time she moved. The other girls were lying face down on the beds and so she suggested that a shower was a good idea for them too. It did seem to ease the soreness a little. Gina, an 18 year old red head, groaned and said she didn't think she could ever move that far. The pain was too humongus. "We're being taken to breakfast in a few minutes so you are going to have to move then," Sheila replied, but that was only greeted with another loud groan and more tears.
Marjorie kept her promise and took her and most of the others to the canteen. It was up a flight of stairs, which she said was quicker than walking along the corridor to the lift, and then back again but the entire group found climbing particularly taxing. No one commented about their standing to eat and the food was unexpectedly good. Sheila rarely had breakfast, rarely was there any food in the house anyway. She noticed Marjorie was correct in saying the off-duty staff didn't bother too much with clothing. Most only wore a nightshirt type garment, although they were more decorative than the gown she and the captives wore. Even the men wore a smock type garment often hardly hiding their private parts.
James came to Sheila. "Morning, Spitfire. Are you beginning to find your way around here?"
"Morning Sir. Yes thank you." Sheila thought she needed to be extra polite just in case.
"You can call me James, like everyone else and feel free to talk and to ask questions of me or any others on the staff. Despite last night, we are here to help you. Just don't think of being abusive or disruptive."
"Thank you Sir... James." Her mind though said, "You rotten fucking bastard!"
"Marjorie seems to be looking after you and showing you around. Do you find her okay?"
"Yes, thank you. She is very nice."
"And I'm just the cruel old bat that thrashes hell out of you eh?" laughed James.
Sheila didn't answer that but asked why he called her Spitfire. James spent a few moments reminiscing on the World War II fighter plane ending up with "It was only a small plane but it had a lot of guts and firepower and without it we wouldn't have won the war. Wear your nickname with pride young lady." Again it would take a while before she would fully understand his meaning.
"James?" Sheila decided she wasn't going to be in awe of him and might well be able to wheedle a few concessions from him with a bit of careful talk. She was good at that at least. "Will the doctor be giving us anything to ease this terrible pain? It is so difficult to walk and we cannot sit down and in fact it is difficult to think of anything else. The pain is really bad."
"I'm sorry, Spitfire. For today at least you will all have to put up with it, that was the object of the caning. If the pain goes away quickly then you are less likely to remember it."
"But James, in the olden days you are trying to recreate, didn't they use goose fat and other herbs to try and ease the suffering after a caning? They may not have been as effective as modern drugs but at least they tried to help. The others, the ones who are being taken back this afternoon, they will get some form of pain relief when they get back. Why not us?" James was surprised by her boldness.
"You have a clever way with words too, Spitfire, but for now I am going to keep to my decision but I will think about what you have said. Now find your fellow captives or 'guests' as I will call them now, and get them into the bedroom in 20 minutes."
******
James sat on a bed while the twelve reluctantly stood around him. They were an odd assortment. Gina had already seemed to be paired of with Clive, who was a gangly youth addicted to soft drugs. At the moment the pain from his caning overrode his drug need but soon that situation would be reversed. James repeated his sermon on the way they were expected to behave during their stay and emphasised how they were to work together and try to live in harmony. He explained too that although today was a free day when they could just wander around and do nothing, from tomorrow they would be given tasks, ".... and for the first week they will be mainly menial ones, to help keep the Molly Spacestation clean. After that we will see what training we can give you. Lunch is at 1 o'clock, dinner at 6. A do-it-yourself bar will open about 9 p.m. but that is for soft drinks or tea, hot chocolate and similar drinks. A machine for dispensing hot drinks is available in the entrance hall to the cafeteria. You may use it at any time. There is no alcohol on this station at all. It is the same for the staff here. In fact you will largely be treated as staff or perhaps 'guests' would be more appropriate. Unwilling guests maybe, but you will be treated as such by the staff," he added. "No money is required for anything so you do not have to worry on that account." 
"You have all found out how to use the showering facilities and no doubt found they provided a little temporary relief to your buttocks. Today, you may use them as often as you may wish. From tomorrow you will be able to use them at any time you are not working. However, Spitfire here requested we provide some pain relief for you. She argued strongly and quite cleverly for some salve or pills. Although at first I thought the punishment should be just that and the pain given should run its full course, I agreed to consider her request. Having spoken with the doctor I have agreed that before you go to bed tonight, he will spray your bottoms with an antiseptic, painkilling spray that should be effective through to the morning so you may get a little sleep tonight."
*******
Jayne woke around noon with a full bladder. She slithered quietly from under the still sleeping Kate, smoothed her crumpled clothes and headed wearily to the toilet block. She wasn't sure she liked the idea of these very public toilets but she had to go. One of the captives was peeing at a urinal and a couple were showering. Jayne ignored them, lowered her pants and did what she had to. The girl they seemed to call Spitfire passed by. "Morning," the girl said. 
"Morning," Jayne responded, "Is it still morning? Have I missed breakfast?" 
"Well morning is more or less over and breakfast is all over. Lunch is in an hour. The cafeteria place is sort of above us here and there is a proper coffee machine up there which seems to be on all the time." 
"Your Sheila aren't you?"
"Yeah, but I seemed to be called Spitfire here." Jayne enquired about her sore bum and was surprised and stimulated when Sheila turned and bent over and showed it to her. Jayne would have dearly liked to have kissed it and fondled the tiny cunt that nestled within. They chatted for a few more minutes and Sheila offered to get coffee and show her how to use the showers. "I'll bring two, one for your girlfriend," she said. With short, mincing steps she walked off.
Returning with the coffees Sheila waited at the door to the news reporter's room until invited in. It was small but nicely furnished. Kate was awake and looking at a pair of monitors that showed the areas outside the room, including the toilet area. "She's waiting until the toilet room is empty," laughed Jayne. 
"I look like a tramp in these creased clothes," Kate said, "Hope you don't want to film me like this."
"I could ask if there are facilities for pressing them while you shower. Rachel's in her room, I think," offered Sheila.
Rachel considered the request for a few moments and then went to a console and ordered robo 'Charles' from the store. It appeared a minute later, looking a bit grubbier than most of the other robos that were around. Taking Sheila's hand, Rachel pushed her thumb on a panel whilst pressing a few control buttons. "Okay Spitfire, this is Charles. He will now obey a limited range of commands from you and will take you to the laundry room. Without him you will not be able to get through the elevator screen or out of the designated areas."
The robot was bigger than the small woman. At first she was apprehensive. She had already found how powerful these robos were. Rachel smiled. "Don't worry, he won't do anything he is not told to do. Treat him like a pet if you like. I have only programmed him to accept a certain range of commands from you so you can't use him to hurt anyone or try and break into a spacecraft but he will fetch and carry for you and even carry you. Just give him easily understood commands to start with until you get used to each other." Sheila commanded Charles to follow her. Somewhat to her surprise and the astonishment of her fellow inmates, Charles did exactly that. 
Arriving at the girl's room she excitedly exclaimed, "Look what I've got! A pet robot. He's called Charles and he will take me to the laundry room. There is someone there who will see to your clothes."
Jayne was already part undressed and getting ready to shower. Kate was more hesitant. Sheila noticed this. Don't worry about being naked. Everyone here either has nothing on or, like me, very little. Just give me your clothes and I will show you the showers." She watched the pair as they undressed. Kate certainly had a beautiful body. Jayne's was nice too but didn't have the same aura of sexual glamour. "If you stare at us much longer your eyes will pop out!" Jayne chided.
"Sorry." Sheila blushed. She wasn't used to seeing beautiful women naked. Today's events were almost overwhelming her.
"Don't be. We don't mind women looking at us, but if you're not careful we may have you in bed with us." The prospect was not completely off putting to Sheila but she just muttered that she better show them the showers and take their clothes.
"Any towels?" Kate enquired.
"You don't need them. There are air dryers. You just stand under them and warm air blows you dry. Nice feeling too when the air blows up the inside of your legs. Even with a sore arse!"
Sheila showed them the shower and dryer controls and then ordered Charles to take her to the laundry room. "Eeeekk!" Her squeal seemed to resound around the room causing everyone to look at her. Charles had picked her up and was carrying her to an exit door. It wasn't quite what she intended but she realised he was only doing what she had ordered. "What the hell," she thought, "Its easier than walking!"
Charles took her along corridors, into a lift that went down three levels and then back along a maze of passageways. They came to a flight of stairs, which Charles descended. Sheila wondered how he moved so easily. He didn't have legs or wheels or even a caterpillar tracking system, yet he was able to flow over any terrain and up and down stairs with ease. Her thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt when they entered a room in the centre of which stood a buxom elderly woman folding clothing into plastic trays.
"Well, what have we here? Don't get many visitors in this part of the station. You must be one of the 'guests' and by the look of things I would guess you are the one they call Spitfire. The one who tried to kick Mr. James." She had a merry twinkle in her eyes and as she spoke a smile spread over her face. "I'm Bertha, the laundry lady." She held out her hand but with Charles holding her and having clothing in her lap, Sheila couldn't respond. 
"Put me down Charles." He did just that. Her sore arse landed rather heavily on the floor. "Bugger you, Charles," she swore, "Have I always got to be so very specific in my instructions?" She struggled painfully to her feet.
"Not many fall at my feet like that dear," Bertha chortled. Sheila found the humour infectious and stretched out her hand to the woman. They shook hands and Bertha gave the girl a hug. "Welcome, Spitfire. If you want I can tell you something about these robos." Sheila nodded. "The were designed by men, mostly Ralph and his son, who have rather old fashioned ideas of courtesy. Somehow they programmed them to respond kindly to the words please and thank you. If you just give them an order, they think it is just that and they do exactly as requested. If you had said, 'please put me down,' he (and all the robos are he's), would probably have thought it a request and put you gently to the floor."
"Please pick me up Charles." Charles gently lifted her in his arms. "Please put me down." Charles allowed her to slide slowly to the floor." "Thank you Charles." She turned to Bertha, "Thanks for your help. My journeys may not be so painful in future."
"Treat him like a pet dear and he will respond to you all the better. But you haven't been sent to me to gab. Whose clothes are those?" Sheila explained her mission. "They will take about 20 minutes, do you want to wait?"
"I'd like to but the ladies will want to know what is happening. But I would like to talk to you more. Perhaps find out how you came to be out here. I expected everyone to be young whiz-kid astronauts."
"Not an old lady like me eh?" She laughed out loud. "Look dear, why don't you come back here after 3 o'clock. You can pick up the clean gowns for your group and it'll be near the end of my working day so I can sit and chat or we can go to my room if that's allowed. Off you go now and remember your please and thank you's. See you in about 20 minutes." 
Charles whisked her back to the toilet area.
******
"Go away you randy runt!" Sheila arrived to find Horny Harry standing in front of the two showering women wanking his cock and making obscene remarks. His name was really Harold Welner but it seemed that his cock was almost permanently erect, certainly from the stimulation of seeing the naked and near naked girls around him.
"Get him out of here please, Spitfire," Kate yelled.
Sheila stood in front of the lad. He was well built and towered above the girl. "Move yourself Horny. You're disturbing the ladies." As if to emphasise her words she brought her fists up to her chest as though preparing for a fight. 
"You wouldn't dare to hit me in case they cane your arse again, so you don't frighten me none."
"You may be right," she said carefully, "But I can get Charles to take you to the punishment room and get his mates to repeat the thrashing they gave you last night." Sheila was by no means certain that Charles would respond to that sort of order but Horny Harry might not call her bluff.
"Naw, yer wouldn't dare and he won't take any notice of you anyways."
"Charles, Please take hold of Harry." Charles did so. Harry struggled but was unable to free himself from the robo's vice-like grip. "Harry, I am going to get Charles to take you to the punishment room and put you on one of the trestles. After I have talked with the ladies and see what they want done with you, we will see James to get it carried out. If by the time lunch is served, you are still there, you can assume the ladies do not want to have you punished further and you may go and eat. If other robos come for you then you will know you are in real trouble."
"No, please, I didn't mean any harm. I can't help it if naked women make me want to fuck them."
"So you would scare the shit out of them so you can get your jollies? No, we will decide your fate now. Charles, please take Harry and lay him on one of the punishment trestles. Wait two minutes to see he doesn't move and then come back here. Thank you."
Sheila started giggling when Charles had disappeared and it wasn't long before the ladies joined in too. "Are you really going to have him caned again?" asked Jayne.
"No, of course not. But he doesn't know that."
"And with the reputation you've built up he will probably be expecting it," Kate added, "You are really cruel, you are!"
Bertha had the guests’ clothes ready when Sheila returned and the ladies dressed. They sat while Sheila stood and gossiped for the few minutes until 1 o'clock. Each found out a little about the other and a bond began to form between them. "You must visit us when you get back," Jayne said. "Maybe you'll be invited back here before then," Sheila replied.
"Charles, please carry me and escort the ladies to lunch." Sheila felt quite smug as she was carried up the stairs passed her fellow inmates whose pained expressions showed that climbing still wasn't the easiest of tasks. A queue had formed and the three took their places. James and Ralph were near the front and Ralph had noted their arrival. He motioned to them. Sheila pushed the ladies forward, whispering, "It looks as if James and his father want to talk to you." She remained behind until she had picked up her lunch and was standing at a table nibbling her food. Charles tapped on the shoulder and indicated she should go over to James table. 
Ralph greeted her, "Well young lady, you seem to have had an adventurous morning. How do you like it here now?"
"It would be fine if I didn't have a sore behind, Mr. Ralph."
"How did you get hold of Charles?" He ran his hand somewhat lovingly over the robot.
"Rachel gave him to me to go to the laundry, Mr. Ralph."
"I can tell you have been talking to Bertha. She's one of the few who still use the Mr. Ralph terminology. Still it is nice to see Charles is still capable of doing a good days work. Do you know he was the last one I made? He was my finest creation. Now he is somewhat old technology and, like me, not so fast or as agile as those who came after. James and his team have designed and built the others you see around but I still have a fondness for Charles. Looks as if he has been in storage for too long. You need to give him a good clean up and polish. He'll take you to where the stuff is kept.
"I do like him Mr. Ralph and he has made it so much easier for me to get around and this afternoon I have to get the laundry for the group from Bertha." She wanted to make it sound as if it was essential she had Charles. "I'll certainly clean him up this afternoon."
"Has Horny Harry come into lunch yet?" enquired James. The girls laughed. They had obviously told the story. 
"I'm sorry, I don't know. I think he would have kept out of my way if he had." 
Kate looked round and spotted him on the far side of the canteen. "You really had him worried for a while," she said.
"He had us more than worried! Jayne added, "Thanks again for what you did."
"Spitfire, would you mind running along now? I want to discus this afternoon's arrangements with the ladies and their return to Earth. Thank you for your company." James indicated she should leave them.
The courtesy with which the group treated her had its effect on Sheila too. "Thank you all for the company," Sheila replied shaking hands with the men. "Thank you Mr. Ralph for letting me have Charles. I sure will look after him." She hugged Jayne and Kate. "I hope I get to see you before you leave." There was a tear in her eye as she said that. The thought occurred to her that she probably now had more friends in space than she ever had on Earth.
When she had gone, Ralph turned to his son and said, "There's leadership in that one, if only we can channel it in the right direction." James agreed. "If we ignore the past and I know that is not an easy thing to do given what we know she has done, in her short time here today, she had negotiated with me to get pain relief for the group, sorted out the ladies dress problem, got herself a robo which will be difficult to take from her and made friends in high places. Not bad for a half pint sized criminal!" 
Sheila spent much of the afternoon cleaning and polishing Charles until he shone almost like new. There were scratches on his paintwork that couldn't be removed but on the whole he was in very good condition. Some of the positions she needed to be in for the cleaning caused her buttock muscles some pain but she persevered until the job was done. Some of the others in the group watched and tried to give Charles commands but he never responded to any of them. He had not been programmed to accept their voices. How her thumbprint was transferred to voice commands was something she would never understand.
At 3 o'clock she visited Bertha again. Bertha brought out a plastic bin of gowns and gave it to Sheila who passed it to Charles. "My word, Charles you do look fine now. Has someone been polishing you?" exclaimed Bertha. She didn't of course, expect a reply so turning to Sheila she said, "You've made a nice job of him, Mr. Ralph will be pleased. Have you time to come to my room for a cuppa and a chat?"
I don't think I have to do anything more until dinner but I would like to see the ladies leave if I am allowed to."
"Dunno what their plans are for that, dear. Still they know where you are don't they?"
"I told Gina and Mr. James should know as I told him at lunch."
Bertha led the way to her room. More a cubicle and like the ones where Sheila was staying, opened on to a similar toilet shower area surrounded by similar rooms occupied mainly by maintenance and engineering staff. Bertha made tea while Sheila examined some of the treasures Bertha had brought with her. "You don't have a home on Earth now do you?" Bertha replied that this was her home. She was happier here than she had ever been.
"The work's not much, but it's not difficult and I have plenty of free time. The crews are friendly; weather's always fine. It's never cold and the doctor is extremely good. A couple of the older engineers visit me some nights. There are things I miss but most of what I miss are things I am glad to be shot of."
"How did you manage to get a job here? I wouldn't have thought there would be an advert in the local paper."
"That's a long story. Did you know Mr. Ralph's wife was murdered?" Sheila shook her head. "That's why they are so against the do-gooders. She disturbed some burglars and one hit her over the head with a full bottle of wine and she never recovered. They got away with it too. Court said because she had picked up a broom she had threatened them and so they acted in self defence."
"Anyway, Mr. Ralph decided he couldn't live in that house afterwards. It was too large for him and what with the memories plaguing him, he moved into a smaller place less than a mile from where I lived. I knew him by sight but not to talk to. 
My husband was a drunkard and often became violent towards me when he'd had a few too many. I had a cleaning job at the local school but on too many occasions I couldn't work because of bruises and black eyes so I got the sack. One afternoon I met Mr. Ralph in a shop and decided to chance asking him if he needed a cleaner. I suspected the house hadn't been cleaned since he moved in and I was right. He gave me a job and I went in every day. Often he wasn't there so my appearance didn't matter too much. He came back unexpected one day when my face was a mess and wormed the whole story from me."
"It was then he told me about the project they were still building up here. Then it was still more or less a shell but he took me on a visit and I found everyone even then to be very friendly and helpful. I decided to leave my husband and come here. And I've been here ever since. I've seen it grow and grow." A bleep sounded from within her smock. "Damn," she said, "I wonder what they want now. Just a get to jaw with a fresh face too." She spoke into the phone, "Okay Mr. James, I'll send her right back. We were just getting to know each other." Bertha turned to Sheila, "They are having a meeting in your bedroom and you are the only one missing. Don't forget the laundry."
"Glad you could find the time to join us," James quipped as Charles carried Sheila and the laundry into the room.
"Sorry, Mr. James." Sheila instinctively knew she had to keep on the right side of him to keep Charles. She put the fresh gowns on the bed and stood alongside the others. A robo appeared pushing a hospital type trolley with various trays and things on it. A white-coated man followed it almost immediately. 
"This is Dr. David Johnson. He is going to administer the injections to the men to make their sperm sterile and thus prevent any unwanted pregnancies to any of you girls who have sex them. All the Bluemen you see have already had injections. The effect of these injections lasts about six weeks but we recommend giving them every month. That won't affect you. You all had a blood test on arrival while you were still unconscious. None of you have AIDS or other undesirable diseases so no problem there. After the injections, the doctor will spray your rear's with something that will relieve the pain a little and it should last until bedtime when one of us will give you another spray that will last overnight."
"Any questions?"
Horny Harry asked how soon after the injection would his sperm be dead. The doctor told him it took about 4 hours to become fully effective.
Ben, a stocky lad with a ready smile who was part of a gang that stole and often wrecked, cars, asked if they would still be able to cum and was told, yes. Neither the men nor the women would notice any difference. The fluid ejected would still be the same but the sperm it contained would not be alive. If you don't have any more injections after about six weeks the sperm produced would be alive and could fertilise a woman in the normal way. The girls watched as each boy had the needle inserted in his arm. They were glad that for once it was not them that had to take the precautions. All of the guests then bent over a bed in turn while the doctor sprayed their sore bottoms. Again, at the sight of all the exposed cocks and cunts, Horny Harry had an erection, which caused more banter from the group.
After a few minutes the spray began to take effect. It didn't totally kill the pain but reduced it to a dull ache. One or two tried sitting on a pillow but found that wasn't a good idea.
At 4 o'clock James ordered all the guests to remain in the bedroom and positioned robos to enforce his order. The remainder of the captives were about to leave and he didn't want any scenes with this group trying to get on the spacecraft. Kate and Jayne came down to pick up their recording gear and said goodbye to a very tearful Sheila. Soon they were gone. Her circle of friends had diminished.

Chapter 4. Work day
Four spacecraft left for the same destinations as previously. Kate and Jayne were in the Brixton one. They were allowed down the chute a couple of minutes before the others. To their surprise, when the captives came down the chute they were individually encased in a transparent shrink wrap-like tube on which in large letters were the words, 
WARNING 
Do not attempt to break this tube. 
It will disintegrate completely in one hour.
The occupants of the tubes were completely naked with the effects of their caning fully exposed for all to see. A bag containing their personal items and clothing was placed inside the tube between their feet.
Kate and Jayne set to filming them and interviewing passers by and the police when they finally arrived. By then the spacecraft had returned to base. At a little after 5 p.m. the plastic appeared to melt and then ran away as a water-like substance leaving no trace other than wet on the pavement.
By 6 p.m. Jayne and Kate were in the Studio with an excerpted version ready to go on air. As with their earlier broadcast from the spacestation, it shocked many of the viewers but pleased many, many more. At last they said something was being done to prevent crime. Something was being done to teach these hooligans a lesson. Phone lines to the Studio were jammed. Emails flooded in. The Controller of Broadcasting announced a special programme later in the evening when an hour-long edition of the event would be aired. After which the phone lines were again jammed. The vast majority of the callers were in praise of the treatment these people were given.
Sheila and her companions watched with very different emotions. The episode of her kicking James and the resulting caning was shown almost in its entirety. Her cuntal area was blurred out but the stripes were clearly seen. Sheila cried at seeing it. Reliving the event was almost worse than the event itself.
Parliament at Westminster debated the issue and heated exchanges between the ruling and opposition parties hyped the events still further. The ruling party condemned the kidnappings and the 'inhuman brutality' but there was little they could do about them. They had, after all, enacted the legislation that had promoted the lawlessness and they had always opted for the soft options as far as sentencing was concerned. Of course the opposition played up the lack of control and ineffectiveness of the police force and the lack of morale etc. None were really interested in solutions, only gaining voter points.
Similar situations and scenes were duplicated across Europe. All those under E.C. control were suffering similar problems with crime. The Netherlands was particularly badly hit but again because of European and their own legislation, they were powerless to do anything about it.
However over the coming weeks, the ground swell of public opinion made the legislators look again at their positions and in England, with an election year ahead, politicians of all parties looked and listened more closely to what the grass root people were saying and doing.
*******
Rachel lay with her legs wrapped around George's waist while he pumped his cock fiercely in and out of her cunt. Rachel moaned, "Yes, yes, give it to me hard." Outside her room the twelve guests appeared to be sleeping. Her mind was not on them at the moment. Filled with lust, she wanted only one thing, George's thick cock. George paused. He was about to climax and shoot his infertile sperm deep inside her when he looked at the monitor on the wall ahead of him.
"Oh my God," he cried.
"Harder, George, harder, I want to cum too." Rachel too was near orgasm.
"He's going to rape her."
"What? Who?" She tightened her legs around George's waist, pulling him in as far as she could. He wasn't going to be released until she was fulfilled. George turned his attention to the woman underneath him and eased up his steady thrusting. Again he glanced at the monitor. 
"He is going to rape her, Rachel. We must do something. Look at the screen."
"Damn. And I was so close too." Rachel looked and the screen and saw Horny Harry making his way to Sheila's bedside. His hard cock was in his hand. Sheila was sleeping face down, bum in the air completely uncovered and inviting. The fact was most of the others were in a like position. Even the thin sheet covering rubbed their sore flesh and in the temperature controlled atmosphere there wasn't any real need for any covering.
Harry saw his chance to get even with the bitch that had humiliated him earlier. Believing all the watchers to be asleep he crept forward and quietly straddled the sleeping girl.
"Rachel, you've got to let go of me. We have to stop him." 
Rachel again looked at the screen and saw Harry positioning himself. Releasing George and disentangling her body from his she muttered, "I'll have his guts for this."
Harry placed the head of his prick at the entrance to the small cunt and thrust deeply and hard. He wasn't into the niceties of foreplay and she would have resisted anyway. 
"Yeeooow!" Sheila let out a piecing scream that woke the whole room. It wasn't just the shock of the cock's unexpected entry into her dry vagina that caused her to yell so loudly, it was more the force with which Harry's loins hit her caned arse. Harry had planned to push her face into the pillow and stifle her cries but it was now too late. Sheila's reaction was fast and devastating. Ignoring the extreme pain she thrust her body backwards and then forwards again dislodging the cock from within her, quickly she spun round and turning on her assailant, was on top of him in what seemed just a blink of an eyelid. Speed had always been her forte and she had long ago learned to use it to turn defence into attack. Her adrenaline now flowing fast, her temper high she pounded his face and body with the ferocity of a tigress. 
The scream woke James from a deep sleep. He had been exhausted by the time he went to bed and had not really expected any disturbance. Glancing at the monitor he saw Sheila pounding a boy who was now yelling a screaming for her to stop. He was not amused at what he saw. "That bitch again," he grumbled to himself. Perhaps she will like what she gets this time. Quickly he grabbed one of the new plastic correction straps he had made when the programme had been planned. Rushing from his room he immediately laid a hefty whack across Sheila's already tortured arse. Angrily he struck again and was about to strike a third time when Rachel's voice came through to him. "No, James! It's not her in the wrong. He tried to rape her."
"Then how is it that she on top and punching the hell out of him?"
"Go and look at the replay, James. We were just seconds from preventing it. Its Horny Harry that should be receiving the strap."
James, still not convinced and still upset at being woken from much needed sleep spoke to Charles, "Take your mistress to my room and keep her there."
"Rachel, if you think Harry needs strapping, you do it!" He tossed the strap to her. Rachel too was angry at being disturbed when she was so close to an orgasm. Normally she would have given the task to a robo but this time she thought to vent some of her own frustration by doing the job herself. She did order two robos to bend Harry over the foot of the bed so his arse was well displayed.
"WHACK!" The sound was like a rifle shot in the quiet room. Everyone was now awake and watching silently hoping Rachel wouldn't turn her anger on them. A scream followed the impact and a vivid band of colour overlaid the caning stripes. Five more times she brought the belt down. Each brought a further scream and pleas for mercy. The accuracy of her aim might not have been a good as if one of the robos had done it, but it was very effective. Harry's rear was now one mass of pain. He screamed. He cried. He begged. Rachel ordered the robos to take Harry to an empty room at the end of the corridor and one of them to stay there to make sure he didn't come back or try to injure himself. The door was locked to him although easily accessible to the robos key encrypted beams.
Rachel turned to the other guests. "Sorry you've had such a disturbed night. Hopefully it should be more peaceful now. Try and get some sleep. Anyone need more 'bumspray'?" They all thought that was a good idea and Rachel and George did what was needed. Gina and Clive were holding each other tightly so Rachel suggested they share a bed. They were worried that this might get them a thrashing too but were reassured that only if Clive tried to rape Gina would the belt be used on them. Gradually, apart from some isolated sobbing, the room became quiet again.
Back in his room, James looked at the frightened, sobbing girl. "Well Spitfire, you seem to have done it again. From the sound of things out there it seems Rachel believes Harry to be to blame." His sentence was punctuated by the sharp cracks belt and the screams coming from outside. He looked at the clock and then programmed the recorder to play back from a few minutes earlier. It was then quite obvious what had happened. "Release her please Charles."
James went to the girl and gave her a hug, "I am sorry," he said, "Truly, very sorry. You didn't deserve that. I should have waited before lashing out." He sat on the bed so they were then more or less of equal height and pulled her close to him. They remained like that for several minutes, the tears from Sheila's eyes running down James' chest, until the sobbing and the tears eased. Gently he lay the girl face down on one side of his bed and sprayed her flesh again. That small area had taken an abnormal amount of punishment. He realised that anymore could cause the flesh to open and permanent damage.
James lay beside her, his side touching hers, and put his arm across her shoulders. "Lay there, little one, this bed is softer than those outside and I will not harm you or attempt to rape you." Both lay awake for a long while before drifting into fitful sleep.
******** 
Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong. The melodious chimes were followed by the not so melodious tones of "Wakey, wakey, rise and shine. Up, up up UP!" from Tom, the physical fitness instructor. Bleary eyes looked at him and then the clock. 7a.m. "Com'mon me darlings, lets be havin' yer. Up yer get." He looked at the group in front of him, reluctantly trying to move. "Yes, I know yer sore but you will be sorer still if I have to get the robos to yank yer out of bed." Tom was a Cockney and an ex paratrooper. Tough but kind hearted. He looked around and counted 10. "Where's the other two?" he enquired. 
"Spitfire's in there." Gina pointed to James' room. "Rachel thrashed Horny Harry and took him away."
"Right you lot, go to the loo if you need to and get back here sharpish-like, I'll round up the others." He strode briskly to James' room, knocked and without waiting for an answer pushed open the door and yelled, "Com'mon out. You've got to finish your jollies now. Time for more exercise."
"Do I have to go Mr. James?" Sheila asked.
"Yes, you do," answered Tom over riding any reply James would have made. "And you too James. You could do with a bit of a workout."
"Ugh, we've hardly had any sleep," groaned James.
Tom's reply was uncompromising, "Well you shouldn't 'ave taken 'er to bed wid yer!"
James had forgotten about the P.E. part of the rehab programme but decided he ought to show willing and told Sheila to get up too.
Tom's tactics were similar when he opened Rachel's door and saw her and George together. "Where 'ave yer hidden the other 'un then? This Horny Harry fella." Rachel sent a robot for him and then Tom started to chivvy them into action. "C'mon, you two could do with some exercise too, the sort you had last night only taxes a few of your muscles. Grudgingly they too got up. Sheila asked Charles to carry her but Tom forbade it. "You're goin' to work those muscles anyway so treat the walk as a warm-up exercise." Tom ordered them all to remove their shirts. "I'm sure Bertha won't want to have to supply another set because these are all soaking wet with sweat." There were murmurs of disapproval but Rachel whipped off her shirt so that everyone could see her large boobs. "If I can do it, you all can." Soon everyone was as naked as the day they were born.
Tom started off. "I'm sure many of yer have not done P.E. since yer were at school and you will never 'ave done it like this in a mixed group with nuffin' on. You may find it stimulating'. Don't worry - it just shows your normal. You will find the exercises hard for the first few days. The muscles in your backsides have taken quite a hammering but if they are not to become stiff and remain sore for longer than necessary, then we have to move them about a bit."
They did simple bending and stretching, all of which brought cries of agony from the guests. Some tried to get out of doing them or made only a token effort. It didn't take more than a light swat on the rear and the threat of a further session after breakfast for them to realize the error of their ways. Tom might be jovial but he was in command and he wasn't to be trifled with. He also knew that repetitious exercises would get boring so after about twenty minutes he piped through some Scottish dance music and was about to get them dancing reels when he noticed Clive was shaking and looking a little paler than was normal.
"Are you alright lad?" he asked.
"I think he needs a fix," Gina answered for him. He sat out the first reel but his shaking increased. 
"He had better see the Doc, Tom," James interrupted, "Spitfire, would you mind asking Charles to show him to the doctor's? Gina better go with him."
Sheila was surprised that James didn't order one of the many other robos that were around to do the task but her quick sense knew it was a kind of test. She looked at the ever-shaking Clive and decided to go one up on James' request. "Charles, please carry Clive and accompany Gina to the doctors and then return to me. Thank you."
"I can walk," said Clive although he didn't really appear very able.
"You don't have a choice," replied Sheila. Charles had already picked the boy up. 
They did a couple more reels until most were completely out of breath then showered and breakfasted after which James assembled them in the bedroom. He pointed out that yesterday was a free day but now they had to start to earn their keep here. The chores would mainly be cleaning jobs which required little skill but even so he would still expect them done properly and with good grace. They had now to start learning to live together and work as a team. Today, the teams would consist of only two people. Later the teams would be combined or reassembled. He then gave them a few minutes to choose a partner. 
Mary teamed up with Rebecca (Becky); William (Bonzo) with John. Jenny and Martin seemed to hit if off at breakfast so she went with him. Sheila had absolutely no wish to be stuck with Horny Harry so she grabbed Ben just before Sarah. For a moment Sarah looked horrified then turned to James, "You can beat me all you like but there is no way I am working with a bloody rapist." James assured her she would not be punished and that he understood. He asked if one of the boys would work with Harry. All said, no.
Sheila spoke up, "Why not let Sarah join Ben and me and leave Harry to work on his own? You said you were going to combine teams later, why not start by part combining ours? As the teams grow, perhaps Harry can be integrated then."
James thought the idea workable and said so. Sarah gave Sheila a hug.
"Don't jump the gun, Sarah, I have another idea." He paused as the idea went through his mind and he began to evaluate the consequences. "Yes," he thought to himself, "It might be a way to make amends to the girl I wrongly punished last night." Out loud he went on, "I am going to make Spitfire a team leader. She will work the same as you all but will go round and check on the progress of the other teams after each working hour. If you have complaints or suggestions or need help, tell her and it will be up to her to bring it to my attention. You will all still have direct access to me so you can complain about her if you wish. Spitfire, you will have to check on Harry's team as well and I expect you to do it fairly and with the same consideration as with the others. A real leader has to be fair. Harry did an awful thing to you last night and he paid with a strap on the bum and your fists in his face. His punishment for that crime is complete. Don't try and punish him more. It was my fault you got the strap as well, not his." Sheila looked down at her toes. She had wanted further retribution but agreed to try and be fair.
"How will I know where everyone is? And what if Gina and Clive come back?"
"I'll give you a list in a moment. I didn't plan a supervisor when I worked out the work schedule but its no problem. If and when Gina and Clive return, they can do something about this pigsty that was a bedroom! Perhaps if they are not back in an hour or so you could check on them too." James detailed the working parties and instructed robos to take them. He sent Sheila's group into a basement workshop to clear up after the engineers. "I'll be back for lunch but until then you won't be able to contact me," he told her as he departed.
The basement workshop seemed huge. Several engineers were working on spacecraft or robots. One came forward and greeted them. "So you are my working party. I'm Ted, today's chief engineer. It's okay I'm not going to give you a spacecraft to repair. It's mostly clearing up jobs. Ones that I hope won't hurt your arses too much. But first you must wear shoes. Too many sharp pieces lying on the floor here." He led Sheila to a machine and introduced her to Helga the machine operator. Helga made her stand on an air pad, "What colour would you like?" Sheila looked non-plussed. "You can have blue, green, red, yellow or whatever colour you fancy."
"Blue, please." There was a whirl of air around her ankles, then a liquid spray gel and finally a blue plastic spray. 
"Keep still a few moments more," Helga instructed. She did so and the plastic hardened into a softish leathery material. "Okay, who’s next?"
They were given brushes and told where and what to clean. The engineers kept up a steady banter of good-natured humour. One asked Sarah to hold some plastic sheet in place while he fixed but otherwise the work was just cleaning. An hour quickly flew by and Sheila asked the chief if she could leave to check on the others. The chief, of course, didn't know about the Sheila's appointment as group supervisor and was reluctant to let her go but the others corroborated her story and as Charles was with her and that in itself gave her status, he agreed to let her go. "But if I find you have tricked me, I shall personally put you over my knee and smack that already blue arse of yours and I shall enjoy doing so," he threatened as she left.
She did her rounds. All the groups seemed to be working, some with more enthusiasm than others but being in such a pleasant atmosphere helped. Only Horny Harry was miserable. He was on his own, cleaning the room in which he had spent the night. "I'm doing what I was told to do," he spat the words at her. 
At first Sheila was pleased he was not enjoying himself at all but having visited the other sites where the workers were friendly and helpful she couldn't help being sorry for Harry. She knew James had made a snap decision on where to place him but she felt the decision was wrong. "Come with me, and no tricks," she ordered. 
"No! You can't order me about."
"I can and I am. Now come with me. I'm again putting my arse on the line for you even if you are a piece of shit and not really worth it. Charles, please take us back to the workshop area."
When they arrived, she went to Ted and asked if he could find something for Harry to do a bit away from the rest of the team. "Please Chief, he wasn't doing any good where he was. Can he clear up for the group of engineers over there?" 
The Chief was more than puzzled and he hadn't been able to contact James because of some meeting he was at. "I've heard about you gal, and I know what they call you, but as sure as eggs is eggs, if there is any comeback from James, then I'll doubly spank you." He agreed to give Harry a job there. Sheila went to the doctors. Clive was much better. The doctor had given him an injection that started him on a rehab course. He hadn't sent the pair away because he didn't know where they should be. Sheila told him they were to try and make their pigsty look more habitable by the time James returned which caused him to smile and then questioned why she was there. Again she had to explain her supervisory role.
She took them to the bedroom and then returned to the workshop and continued working until it was time for lunch. She already knew the engineers had their own canteen, so led her team back to the cafeteria. Harry acted a little better but was still very resentful.
******
Sarah, Ben and Sheila stood at a table eating their food. All had enjoyed their morning in spite of the pains when they moved. Passers by commented on their colourful shoes. It was generally only the engineers that wore them but all the comments were light-hearted and friendly. Sheila saw Ralph and James come in later than usual. She wanted to show off Charles now that she had cleaned him up but waited until they were well into their meal. She didn't want to intrude so just told Charles to present himself to Mr. Ralph. A few minutes later, Charles came back, grabbed Sheila's wrist and took her away. "You need to watch those robos," Sarah called after her, "You never know where they might take you!"
Today there were four at the table. Ralph, James and another couple whom she hadn't yet met. "Hello, Sheila," the woman greeted her, "I'm Yvonne and this is my husband Fredrick. We are from the design office." Sheila shook hands with them. It wasn't what she would normally have done but there it just seemed the right thing to do. Ralph seemed overwhelmed by the knowledge that Charles was now working again praised the effort Sheila had put in to make him look so nice. There were more laughing comments on her colourful shoes but then she noticed Ralph opening the control panel on the front of Charles, the one Rachel had opened earlier to programme it for her. Sheila's face fell. Was her going to take Charles away from her and use him for himself? Ralph was pressing buttons and looking at a small screen on Charles' front. He looked up and saw Sheila's open mouth and smiled, "Its alright young lady, I am not taking him from you. On the contrary." He continued working, then frowned and opened a lower panel. "Needs a new battery," he muttered more to himself than to the others. He shut the bottom panel, took Sheila's thumb and pressed it to the screen in the way Rachel had done. "He's yours now. All yours for as long as you are here. He will not respond to commands from anyone but you. Look after him and use him wisely."
"Oh thank you Mr. Ralph, thank you. I will look after him and use him as you say."
Ralph picked up a napkin and wrote on it. "Take this to Chief Engineer Ted, this afternoon and he will put a new battery in for you. The old one will work for a while yet but it is making Charles a bit sluggish and then go to Research Test II and ask them to give him a check over. The Chief will have to insert a swipe card in Charles to get you there."

Chapter 5. Chris
The group was again assembled in the bedroom. When James appeared to give them their afternoon tasks he was scowling. Immediately he sat down he turned on Sheila. "Spitfire, who gave you the authority to countermand my orders?" His voice although quiet was menacing and full of anger."
Sheila was taken aback and unprepared for the outburst and could only stutter without any real words coming out.
"I've just been talking to the chief engineer. Who gave you instructions to take Harry there? You exceeded what little authority I gave you. You changed my orders."
Sheila's quick wits recovered quickly and decided to go on the offensive. "On the contrary, Mr. James, I evaluated your orders. This morning you told me Harry had been punished for what he did to me and that was the end of it. You also said we were to work together as a team. Putting Harry alone in the room in which he was punished last night was not only cruel, it went against your rehabilitation principles. He was not allowed to mix with anyone. He was sentenced to solitary confinement. As supervisor of this group I felt it my duty to amend your decision in the light of the circumstances prevailing at the time. I believe I was right in what I did. Did the Chief comment on the work Harry did? Did he say it wasn't good enough? Harry did seem to fit in with the two engineers he was assigned to. So Mr. James, I didn't countermand your orders, I just tweaked them a little. You were not available for consultation. I made a decision I thought was right and in the best interest of the group. I still stand by that decision but if you believe it was wrong, Mr. James, then I apologise. I am sorry. Perhaps when you gave me some authority you didn't expect me to use it. Once again, if I made the wrong choice, then, I am sorry."
For a few moments there was a stunned silence. Everyone stared at the half-pint-sized bundle of fire as she leaned with the fists on the bed in front of her. She glared defiantly at James.
The attack took James completely by surprise. He was just going tell her off and take her down a peg or two but she had turned the tables on him, making him appear in the wrong. He didn't know what to say.
Surprisingly it was Harry who spoke. "I still hate that little bit of rotten camel shit," he said, "But I appreciate what she did. It was much better working there than being on my own and I lost some of the anger and resentment building up inside me."
"Okay," James said, "I get the message." His attitude began to soften. "Spitfire you are a born politician!" He addressed them all, "For now I think it will be best if you all return to what you were doing this morning and we'll change round again tomorrow." Turning again to Sheila, "I'll phone the Chief. For some reason he thought he would be having you over his knee when you returned."
********
The Chief was in a good humour when they arrived. "So you wormed you way out of a spanking then? Pity. Still there may be another time. While the others got on with their work she showed the Chief the note from Mr. Ralph. She said she was sorry it was on a napkin. Ted laughed. "That's how I know it’s from him. He often gets ideas and jots them down on whatever is handy. Only when they have been through the design office do I get a proper drawing." Ted instructed a young female engineer to change the battery and then insert the card into Charles and sent them up to Research Test II. On the way they had to pass through several air locks and decontamination filters. The effect of the last one was to make Sheila's hair stand straight out from her head and pubic area. All dust particles from between the follicles were then removed. It was a scary minute or two before it returned to normal.
An elderly woman greeted her. "Hello, I'm Mandy. I see you're not used to the decon filter," she laughed at Sheila trying to push her hair back down. "You've brought Charles for testing. Ralph said you were coming. Chris is going to do the tests. Few work on a Sunday afternoon." 
Chris turned out to be a boy around 26 years old. He was somewhat shy and very much engrossed with his work. At the moment he was testing a very natural looking hand that was a prototype for a new range of robos. "Hello, Spitfire," he smiled at her, "Sorry I don't know your real name but I've seen you on the monitor and in the cafeteria."
"It's Sheila but I don't mind people using my nickname."
"I like Sheila. How come you have this old robo? And why didn't the engineers see to it? We generally only test new models here."
Sheila told him the story while Chris finished his tests on the hand. She was amazed and fascinated at the way the fingers opened and closed and the wrist moved. Chris then opened panels in Charles and connected leads to and from various pieces of test equipment. He made Sheila help. At one point Sheila was lying on the floor, her gown rucked up above her waist, holding a part steady and Chris was similarly on the floor with his head near her arse. "Sod me!" he exclaimed, "They really did cane you! I saw it on video but I didn't think it was as bad as this. Have they given you a pain injection?" He very tentatively touched her warm flesh. 
"No. They spray us and that relieves the pain a bit but they think we need the pain to remind us of why we are being punished. Part of what they think is a rehab programme."
"Well, I hope it works after what you have been through. What did you do?"
They chatted all through the testing. Chris found a part that needed replacing but hadn't one in stock. It was an old part they didn't use. Chief Ted will probably have one and can replace it.
"Would you do it if I get the part from the Chief?"
"If you like but it is really a simple plug in job but, yes, I would like to see you again. I'll say I need the part before I can complete the testing. How would that suit you, Sheila?"
"As it is Mr. Ralph's baby, I think you had better do it." Sheila gave him a smile as she said it. "I'm supposed to do my rounds of the group now and collect the laundry, in fact I am already half an hour late so can I come back when I've done that? Is Charles still in a usable state?" 
"Yeah, sure. I will still be here. Not too many actually work on a Sunday afternoon even here but some of us get engrossed with our work and forget to leave off."
Chief Ted, thought the excuse to return to Research Test II pretty feeble and said so but gave her the part. She spent just a few minutes with Bertha and checked on her groups just before they were due to finish. All seemed to be getting on quite well. Even Horny Harry was containing his erection somewhat although the fact the engineers on duty at his end of the workshop were all male, might have had something to do with it. He seemed to be fitting in, if a little reluctantly, with the two he was assigned to. They made him actually help with their work rather than just clean up after them.
It was gone 4 o'clock when Sheila returned to Research Test II and found Chris alone. "Sorry, it took longer that I thought," she said, "And you should be off duty now."
"That's alright. I'd only be working on a video game or thinking about some other project. It's nice to have you around and it's especially nice to have someone about my own size." For the first time, Sheila noticed he was shorter than most others. Only a little taller than she. It created a bond between them.
Chris fitted the part and tested it. He asked Sheila to lay on the floor to hold a lead although it wasn't really necessary. They lay side by side, face to face when they finished. Suddenly Chris stutteringly blurted out, "Can I kiss you Sheila?"
She nodded, yes. He did. Soon they were tightly clasped in each other's arms. Sheila could feel the erection that tented Chris' overalls pressing against her thighs but he made no move to go further. They lay like this for some time until Sheila burst into tears. 
"What is the matter?" Chris asked in a very concerned voice, "Have I hurt you?"
"No. No, nothing like that. I am getting used to pain now. It’s being held like you are loved that is difficult for me to take in. I'm not used to that. Usually I'm kicked in the teeth or I am forced into fucking." Her sobs continued. "You're hard and yet you are just holding me. You don't seem to want to force me."
"Sheila, we have only been together a few hours and I would like to make love to you but I am not going to force myself on you. For one thing, in a month you will be gone and it would be difficult for me to see you ever again. I don't get to Earth very often and then where I go is monitored. I would like us to be friends, more than friends but in the end we would probably have to part. That could be very traumatic for both of us."
"Chris, you don't know what traumas I've been through already. One more will make little difference. I too would like to be more than a friend to you but for now it is just so nice to be held in your arms and feel loved that I don't want to go any further. Can you understand that?"
"Sheila, let's just take one step at a time." 
They kissed passionately again and lay still until Sheila noticed it was approaching dinnertime. "Oh God, I will have been missed and will probably be in more trouble. They may think I've tried to escape."
"Unlikely. They'll only have to look on the central computer to know you are here. But you had better go now and get cleaned up, I'll see you in the Cafeteria about six."
James wasn't around when she arrived at the bedroom but the others were and questioned where she had been for the last two hours. "Just getting Charles fixed," she replied.
"He must have been real poorly if he made you cry like that," stated Sarah looking her straight in the eye, "Or did the Chief get you in the end?"
"No, nothing like that." Sheila flounced off to the showers. She was under the dryer when Becky came to her.
"You're our supervisor, right?"
"Yes, I guess so," Sheila was very hesitant with her reply suspecting she might not like what was to come.
"You are our link with the boss, right?"
Again a hesitant, "Yes."
"And for that you get special privileges?"
"Yes, and a few extra hidings it seems." Becky nodded knowing that was true as well.
"Look, Spitfire, could you ask Mr. James if we or at least I could phone home. I know my mum and dad will be worried sick especially after the news. I know James said they had all been informed we were here but still, I wouldn't mind talking with my mum."
"I just wish I had a mum I would want to talk to," replied Sheila, "But yes, I will try and find out if it is possible and whether you will be allowed to. No promises mind."
She rushed around to finish drying and put her gown back on. "Oh, I do wish I had something better to wear," she said to herself. The cafeteria had only just opened and Chris was not inside so she waited in the foyer area. Sarah and Ben came by and asked why she was waiting. She told them she had a dinner date and Sarah laughed and said she was certainly dressed for the occasion. They enquired who the unlucky fellow was but Sheila kept it a secret till later.
Chris arrived soon after carrying a bag. Sheila was curious but was told it was sort of a present, one which she couldn't have but could use. The bag felt soft but Chris wouldn't let her peek inside. They got their meals and went to a table. Chris then opened the bag and placed it contents on a chair. "Try sitting on that," he suggested. Very cautiously Sheila did as her requested and found she could sit without too much pain. "It's an air cushion," Chris told her, It's mainly for hospitals when people are burned and such." Sheila thanked him. It made her much less conspicuous than standing. She enquired about phoning Earth and Chris told her it was possible but all calls went through the communications room and a card may be needed for access.
Sitting being such a luxury these days, Sheila was reluctant leave and sat chatting animatedly to Chris. Seeing James stand to leave the room, she remembered Beck's request and went to him. "Mr. James, can I have a meeting with you sometime soon please?"
"Is it important and urgent?"
"Yes, I believe it is and I have no other way of communicating with you apart from catching you when I see you."
"I have a meeting in my office at seven, that's in a quarter of an hour. Give me five minutes and then come there. It will have to be brief."
She went back to Chris and told him and asked if they could meet later. He said he would be in his room and told her the location. "Just tell Charles to take you to 3-103, I'll be there."
"They might not let me out of the area, but I will see if I can get there." 
"If you can't make it by nine, I'll come down here, and maybe Jackie will loan me her room if she is with John. She's usually a good sport," Chris said.
******
Sheila arrived at James' office and put in her request. He surprised her by agreeing to her request almost immediately. He had to add conditions of course. They would be given a ten minute card and could only phone close relatives and only from one phone. They couldn't phone police or members of parliament or any organisation that might cause them trouble. As the calls would all be routed through the communications centre, the numbers would be vetted and the calls monitored and recorded. Get all the group together in the bedroom at eight and I or somebody will go through it with you."
After thanking James she turned to leave when James stopped her. "Spitfire, I don't want to interfere but you should know any affair with Chris is doomed. You will be returning to Earth in a few weeks and Chris cannot leave here. If it is only a short-term fling, fine and I won't do anything to stop you. Don't though, think it can continue after you leave."
"Chris told me that but perhaps it is better to have loved than not to have loved at all. Is there no way round it?"
"Spitfire, I know I have been harsh with you but under it all I do like you and I respect what you have done here in the last day or so. I wouldn't do anything to permanently hurt you, that is why I am telling you this now. Chris cannot leave here except for short, monitored breaks. You cannot stay."
"Why not?"
"It would mean giving up the whole of your life on Earth. Your friends, seeing the fields and villages, the changes in the weather. There is so much you would miss. All of you will I expect start to miss those things very soon now. So far you have been more concerned with pain but soon that will go and your thoughts will return to home even though you may not have had the best of home life."
"At the moment I am not looking forward to going back. Here I feel I am among friends, even you. Every where I have been there is a friendliness I have never known before. So please let me consider it an option to stay and please let me see Chris when work permits. Can I go to him tonight please?
James thought for a few moments until there was a knock on the door and Yvonne entered and apologised for disturbing him. He signalled her to stay and turned to Sheila, "No, that would mean your leaving the designated area in your free time and then the others would want to as well. How about I ask Chris to deal with Communications and sort out the phone cards. Remember there will only be one phone line and each will have ten minutes so that's two hours of talk time, probably three hours with dialling and arranging. As supervisor it will be up to you to sort out who goes first. It doesn't all have to be done today, some can use the phone tomorrow evening if they wish. Either way they will be cut off after ten minutes, just like a pay phone. If there is any time left you can spend it with Chris but you know the curfew hour is 11 p.m. and you should be back in the bedroom area by then."
"Thank you Mr. James," Sheila said as she left the office, "I am sure the others will appreciate your gesture to allow them a phone call."
Back in the bedroom, Sheila rounded up all the group and told them of the arrangements, emphasizing the rather short length of time each had and the conditions on who they could phone and that everything they said would be recorded. A couple of the group started to object to this form of censorship others at the length of time suggesting Sheila could have done better. Sheila was furious and it showed, "Look," she said, "I risked my arse again. I got you a ten minute phone call when it could just as easily have been yet another ten whacks across my backside!" 
Becky came forward and said, "Spitfire, you did great. Thank you. Don't let those moaners put you off. Without you we wouldn't have any phone time at all. None of them or I would have dared ask. Thanks." 
"We now have to work out an order. Because she asked me first I am going to let Becky use the phone first. Is there anyone who doesn't want to use the phone today?" Two raised their hands. "That leaves eight. Chris is supposed to arrive with the phone and cards at eight. I don't know how long it will take to set up. Shouldn't be too long."
"Depends on how much snogging you two do first," laughed Sarah, which brought giggles from the rest.
Sheila blushed but said they would leave that till later. "She asked if anyone needed a special time because of when their folks would be out. Jenny said her parents always went to bed at ten so could she phone before then. She agreed to follow Becky. Ben doubted his mum and dad would be home before ten so he was last. She asked the rest to form an orderly line and after some pushing around, they did. She inserted the line between Jenny and Ben and decreed that was to be the running order.
Chris arrived early, and set the phone in a corner while Sheila handed out the cards he brought. Most didn't believe it was a phone at first. It resembled a transparent motor cyclist's helmet. He also brought the air cushion so they could sit and talk in relative comfort. Placing the helmet over Becky's head he explained that pushing the button at the front would put them through to Communications. They would be ask for a number and would check it. When the call was connected, the card should be swiped through and the ten-minute conversation could begin. No one outside the helmet would hear what was said although it would all be listened to by Communications and recorded. Through a microphone he asked Becky a question but although the onlookers could see her lips moving they heard nothing. Chris again ran through the instructions with Becky, asked if she knew the number she wanted and after she nodded, yes, left her to it. She turned, faced the wall and gingerly sat down. 
Ten minutes later, a very tearful Becky took off the helmet phone and came crying to Sheila. "They want me back," she said, "After all I've done." Sheila held the girl for a while, without asking what she had done, and then said, "Maybe you'll be a better person when you go back. At least they want you. I doubt if my mother will even be sober enough to pick up the phone." Mary came over and the two walked around the room and then went off to the drinks machine.
Jenny was also tearful when she returned from her call and Sheila began to wonder whether she had done the right thing. The two girls were much less happy now than before talking to their parents. Jenny though, had Martin to comfort her. They lay together on a bed holding each other tightly.
The queue for the phone seemed orderly so Chris and Sheila lay on a bed together. Ignoring catcalls from various of the boys, they kissed and fondled each other but Sheila's sore arse put severe restrictions on what they could do. 
Communications were very quick in getting through to most numbers although there was no reply from two and an answer machine on one. They allowed the boy to leave a short message to say he would call again the following evening without charging anything from his card. By 10.30 all those who could or wanted to, had finished their calls and Chris collected the equipment and the air cushion. "We have just half an hour before James wants you back in the bedroom area," he whispered to Sheila as he led her to Jackie's room. Carefully positioning the air pillow on the bed he lay Sheila down on it. For the first time in what seemed ages she was able to lie on her back. Trying to keep his weight off her as much as possible, Chris leaned over and kissed her. She kissed back and inserted her tongue in his mouth and French kissed for a while. Chris' hand slowly worked up her gown and massaged her small breasts and when the nipples stood hard and firm he took them into his mouth and gently suckled them.
"Ooohh!! Chris, that is soooo nice." Sheila moaned under his ministrations. Her hand slid down between and felt his hardness. Gently she massaged that too "Oh Chris, do it! Fuck me!" Sheila was by no means a virgin but previously all intercourse with men had either been necessary or for some sort of gain, monetary or position. Now she wanted it for love. She wanted Chris to make love to her. This was just not to be a bog standard fuck.
Chris slipped his cock in her and gently plunged back and forth. He knew she could still feel pain although it was reduced by the air cushion and tried not to cause further unnecessary suffering but Sheila cried out, "Harder Chris, harder!" Lust and love became intermingled as they drove themselves towards a climax.
"Tap, tap, tap." A soft knock on the door. It opened a few inches. "You have five minutes." James' voice came through the opening. 
"Damn the bastard," muttered Sheila, "He always puts his foot in at the wrong time." She looked at the digital clock, 23.10. He'd already given them an extra ten minutes.
******
Sleep wouldn't come to Sheila that night. She lay awake and restless. She thought about Chris and leaving him to go back home. And where was home? Not with her mother. Not on the streets or in hostels or in someone's apartment for a few nights or sleeping with a man just to find a warm bed. She thought about how being here had already changed her. She now seemed to have a purpose. She had authority and everyone seemed to help her even though she was only a prisoner; a captive. Quietly calling Charles, she had him take her in his arms and go to the observation deck. Looking at the stars in all their brilliance and the Earth now bathed in moonlight tears came to her eyes and flowed silently down her cheeks. From where she was Earth looked a small ball, peaceful and serene but she knew from bitter experience there was much suffering and realized too she had caused some of it. She vividly remembered the old woman whose face she had cut with the knuckle-duster type rings she'd worn. At the time she was just an object to be overcome, someone who was preventing her from stealing her handbag, a handbag that contained only a few pounds of her pension. Tonight the face haunted her.
A bleep woke James. It was his night on duty. The monitoring system had noted an unusual movement for that time of night and woke him. He looked at the screen. No Spitfire. Had that girl gone and made her way to Chris' room? Her keyed in her name and did a search. Puzzled he saw her on the observation deck and she was crying. He made his way quietly to her, sat on a nearby bench seat and offered her a tissue. "Do you want to talk?" he asked. At first she said nothing but gradually opened up until a flood of words came pouring out. She told him about her life on Earth and here, of Chris and particularly of the haunting face of he old woman and how she now regretted what she had done. At the time it was all a game but having been here, she knew something of the horror the woman must have felt. "Do you know if she is alright?" she asked.
"I don't know but I can probably find out but that might make you feel worse rather than better. I'll get Communications on to it in the morning." James was surprised she was even thinking about her victim.
"Could I use my phone card to ask Kate and Jayne to see her?"
"No. I think Communications would block that. They are reporters."
"But you can phone them. James?" she used her wheedling tone of voice, "If I give my card to Becky, would you phone Jayne for me please?"
James laughed, "You conniving hussy! But I will phone Jayne and you don't have to give up your card. Why Jayne rather than Kate?"
"Jayne is more down to earth, Kate is tarted up, a showpiece and not what she seems on the surface. I like Kate but am more in tune with Jayne."
"Go back to bed now Sheila. Try and get some rest for what is left of the night."
"Can I come in with you like last night? I need to be held."
******
Jayne visited Sheila's victim, a Mrs. Janet Mayhew, and disked an interview. The woman was out of hospital but still traumatised and frightened from her ordeal. She had seen the report and pictures of the canings on TV but hadn't linked any with her assault. Her emotions became very confused when told the girl who had the extra caning was the one that had hit her. On the one hand she thought she had gotten her just deserts and on the other hand was sorry for the amount of punishment she had been given. She was even more confused when Jayne told her she had come to do the interview because the girl wanted to know how she was and was very sorry for what she had done. At first she just said, "Its amazing how quickly a sore backside can make your mind sorry," but later, after Jayne had put down her camera and had related some of her experiences on Molly Spacestation, and had told of the girl's plight, she began to show some sympathy towards her. "It seems as if she has a very apt nickname," Janet said, "Pity she cannot use her talents for good as did her namesake."
Later that day, James called Sheila to his office ostensibly to discus the work schedules but when the door was closed he opened a video link to Jayne and not only was the interview shown to her but she was able to chat with Jayne and talk about what wasn't on the film and the chat Jayne had with Janet. Tears again flowed from Sheila's eyes. Her tough exterior broken once again, to fragile female emotion. Kate popped into the picture to say, "Hi," and chatted for a few moments before they had to break the link.
"Thank you, Mr. James. Is there anything I can do to make up for what I did to the old lady?"
"Probably not, at least not now. Who knows what may happen in the future." He handed her a tissue. "Now dry your eyes and get back to work," he added with mock sterness. 
******
The next three days fell into a routine of P.E., work, eat, work, free, eat, free and sleep. Chris visited each evening and they made love on the air cushion openly but Chris was never allowed to spend the whole night with her. Curfew was still fixed at 11 p.m. Gina and Clive, and Jenny and Martin followed their example but without the air cushion found it more painful although they could spend the whole night in each other's arms. Sarah and Ben seemed to be hitting it off especially when there weren't too many others around.
On the fourth evening, Sheila had to forgo Chris' company as Ralph asked her to come to his room. He made tea and treated her with old-fashioned courtesy while they talked and chatted on a wide variety of subjects. During the conversation he probed into her life and she managed to find out more about his. Sheila tried to find out about her chances of staying on Molly but he too was sceptical. "It will be difficult for a young person like you to accept the lifestyle and conditions here. The five days so far might be like a holiday. You will know better at the end of the month or better still after you have been back a month or two." They discussed what she might do when she went back but really she had no idea. Sheila now didn't want to return to her former ways but had no qualifications or training. Ralph said he would see what he could do and promised to keep an eye on her after she left. The evening passed quickly and before long she had to return to the bed area. Her talk with Ralph had been thought provoking but exhausting and she was soon asleep.

Chapter 6. Earthquake
"Wake up. Wake up, little one." A big hand shook Sheila awake. It was Chief Ted. Sheila was about to scream when Ted's hand covered her mouth. "Shush. I'm not here to hurt you or rape you or anything like that," he whispered, "Just wake up and come to James room. I'm going to let go of you now but don't make a noise to wake the others. Just come and see James." She looked at the clock. 3.48. What were they doing up at that unearthly hour.
James and another woman were watching a screen. It seemed like a TV news programme with people searching by torch and moonlight through rubble. Chief introduced Freida, his wife who worked as a nurse on the station, and then turned his attention to the screen. Bleary eyed Sheila watched and asked what was happening. "Earthquake in Peru," Freida informed her, "There are 20 or more children and we don't know how many adults buried under that rubble." She turned to James, "You've got to let us try and help," and facing Sheila, "And that's why Ted has brought you in. James has reluctantly agreed to loan us a spacecraft and a crew but won't risk his highly trained staff. Ted thought you might volunteer your group."
Sheila was baffled. "That's Peru? South America? And it's a TV report? And you are asking us to go there?" 
James explained it wasn't a TV report, it was actual live coverage from a spy-type satellite they had positioned in the area. What she saw was what was actually happening, the people were looking for the victims in the rubble. "That was an orphaned children's home and the time is now," he said.
Freida interrupted. Ted can organise search and rescue gear and robos but we really need more people. Would you like to help?"
Unhesitatingly Sheila said yes. 
"Would the others join in with you?"
"I can't answer for them and before I put it to them, I need to know a bit more about what would be expected of us. For instance, are we going dressed like this? Most of us have still have difficulty in walking. Will we be given a pain injection? And I am sure they will ask, what is in it for them? Will they be returned home earlier? Isn't going to Peru without passports illegal? Why can't the Peruvians rescue their own people? Will other help be available?"
"Whoa there!" James said, "One question at a time. You would be given blue suits that are both protective and insulated. Yes, I will agree to the injection. No, they wouldn't go home earlier. All they would get out of it was the satisfaction of doing something to help or just getting away from here for a few hours. Perhaps breathing real air and being in real sunshine might be an attraction but that could be balanced against hard, gruelling work and probably seeing horrific sights that will turn their guts. It won't be a picnic, Spitfire, there will probably be dead and mutilated children and adults but you could help to save some lives. At this stage we only have these pictures. Oh, what else did you ask? Ah, yes it is very illegal to enter another country like you will be doing but the area is remote and mountainous and the earthquake destroyed the main bridge on the one access road. The Peruvians could only get there by helicopter and they are much more concerned with a larger town also hit by the quake. Apart from locals who are on the scene now, you will be on your own. That enough for you?" 
"Yeah, I guess so. Can you put the pictures on the screen outside please?" When James did so, Sheila smiled and said, "Put the lights on, play the 'tune' and then lets sock it to them." The 'tune' was the ding-dong that usually woke them for P.E. 
Grumpily, the group woke, saw the clock and started complained more. Sheila dived straight in, "Right you dozey lot, wake up and look up at the screen. Forget the clock. Time here doesn't matter but time is the essence of this. What you are looking at is a heap of rubble in South America. The time is now. You are looking at what is happening at this very moment. Under that rubble are twenty children and an unknown number of adults. Alive or dead we don't yet know." They saw one child dramatically pulled out bleeding but alive which gave added impact to Sheila speech. "They need urgent help and local help can't get to them. We can. WE can. Mr. James is providing a spacecraft and crew and Chief Ted and his wife are going with equipment and robos but they need help. They need volunteers to go with them. I have already said yes, so you will be rid of me for today but we would like seven more. And before you ask, we will be given clothes, or at least bluesuits and no you won't get anything from going. No remission of your stay here or anything like that. You will get out of P.E. and work but you will be expected to work a damn sight harder over there. You may have the satisfaction of saving a few more children like the one you just saw but you may see also some very horrible things. You are being asked and I do mean asked, to volunteer to go with me. No one is being forced. You can stay here and carry on as you have for the last few days. It will not be held against you. Before you decide are there any questions?"
Ben raised his hand, "Will any of the Emergency Rescue Organisation be coming with us? My father has a friend who is one of the team and I know they have equipment and stuff ready to go at a moments notice?" 
Sheila turned to James for a reply. "Good point Ben. I don't think they would be able to get there quickly enough and we have more sophisticated equipment but they have experience we lack. I'll get Communications on to contacting them."
There were a few other questions before Sheila asked them to decide. She already eliminated Clive because of his need for drug treatment and fully expected Gina to stay with him but she volunteered. Bonzo and John declined which surprised her. She looked at Horny Harry but he wanted to go. Sarah was undecided but all the rest were in, perhaps not all for the right reasons. "Over to you then Chief."
"I think by now all of you have been in the workshop and have our colourful shoes. Go to the toilet, have a quick wash and bring them with you. Be here in five minutes."
Sheila followed James back to his room, "Can we ask Kate and Jayne along. Their coverage of the event might help the image of the spacestation." James agreed. He contacted Communications again and then dragged the doctor out. He arrived before they left for the workshop and gave them all a pain killing, muscle-relaxing injection. Almost immediately they felt the relief. For the first time in days they could move more or less normally. The stayers wanted an injection too but it was denied them. Too late they wanted to change their minds but then it would not have been for the right motives. 
The bluesuits were individually made in a similar way to the shoes. Shaped plastic sheets to cover the genital and navel areas were temporarily pasted over these areas with gel and then more gel was sprayed on their body and a band put around the waist. When the gel had slightly set, blue plastic material was sprayed on the lower part of the body and when set, the performance was repeated to the neck The band provided a convenient join for getting in and out of the suit.
Helga had the machines warmed up and ready. Sheila knew her from her days in the workshop so she asked if there was a choice of colours as there had been with the shoes. "We can do other colours, but my orders are for you all to have blue. It a kind of uniform."
"But I am a supervisor. I should look different!"
"So then should the Chief, but he is in blue too."
"Yes, but he's a man. They all dress the same. I want to be different." By now she had blue trousers and had a few moments to wait while they dried. Helga leaned over and whispered very quietly in her ear. "When I am doing the next one's plastics, press both the random and psychedelic buttons. I won't notice when I come to start your top. That will get you noticed and you will have to live with it and face my anger and you had better be in the Chief's good books. On your own head be it."
Helga turned to cover Gina's pubic hair and spent a few moments with her. Sheila pressed the appropriate buttons on the colour palette before Helga returned and started the spray going. A little blue came out and then pulses of many brilliant iridescent metallic colours that were controlled into swirling wave patterns. Helga had turned to finish readying Gina when there was a cry from a nearby engineer. She turned to him, "What's up Bob?" Bob pointed behind her. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the spraying was nearly over so she spun round and treated Sheila to a torrent of verbal abuse.
"You pint sized little bundle of horse shit. Who told you to alter my settings when I told you everyone was to have blue? You can't be trusted with anything. You just wait till the Chief puts you over his knee then perhaps you'll learn that no means NO!" She carried on the blistering attack for some minutes while the plastic was drying. It caused a great deal of amusement from the onlookers. Chief was furious with her and threatened not to take her but had to relent when the rest of her group threatened not to go either. It all then died down to good-natured joking. "That's not a Spitfire that's a Kaleidoscope." "Do you supply sunglasses with that top?" "Look what they brought in from the disco!" And so it went on.
Before it went further Sheila was called to phone in the Chief's office. "Kate says they have another event to cover today and can't come with us," James told her. 
"Can you connect me up with her James, please?"
There was a delay and then she heard a ringing tone. Eventually Kate answered. "What the hell do you want? Don't you know what time it is?"
"Shut up and listen, Kate. This is Spitfire and if you know what is good for you, you will do what I say. It will be one of the best stories you've ever covered. Now kick Jayne out of bed and get yourselves dressed. Doesn't matter what you wear, you'll be given special clothes when you get here. Take all your gear to the road outside your studio flat in thirty minutes and be ready to move and move fast. You can tell your boss blue aliens have abducted you like they did last time. That won't be far off the truth."
Kate started to say it was royalty they had to cover but Sheila just snapped, "Shut up. Nothing is as important as this. Just do what you are told and no more arguments. Is that Jayne I hear moving? Good. Thirty minutes, Don't bother with hair or make-up, just easy to jump into clothes. You will be jumping out of them when you get here. Okay?"
"This had better be good or I'll tan your arse worse those robos did!"
"If you're not ready, we'll kidnap you. And you know what that could mean!"
Exactly thirty minutes later two bluemen banged at the door of the girls flat. They weren't ready of course but were ushered out, giving them only time enough to check the filming gear was in order. Fortunately it was ready packed for the booked event. The craft took off again and landed at a farm in East Anglia where they picked up Bob Thompson, the deputy head of the Emergency Rescue Team. His boss had decided to await a formal request and authorisation, but Bob was young and keen to have an adventure.
Sheila and the others were having breakfast in the engineer's canteen when the group arrived. She left her meal and greeted them. Jayne gave her a hug, "My you do look smart in your new suit. It's a wonder they found one small enough to fit you. And what colours. Is it the latest fashion?" 
"Yours will fit just as well. You'll see! But I don't think anyone else will have colours like these." 
They introduced Bob even though they had only known him for less than an hour and Sheila took them to the clothing machines. "You have to undress completely for this," she told them. Automatically the trio looked around for changing rooms but Kate and Jayne soon remembered from their previous stay, there was unlikely to be any. 
"C'mon, get you gear off. Everything. Don't worry, about showing anything here. No one dresses in much. I'll find the woman who works the machines." Sheila found Helga grabbing a quick cup of coffee and brought her back. She introduced her to the three. Jayne and Kate were naked, Bob still wore his underpants which were tenting at the front. He was blushing furiously. Helga laughed at his embarrassment. "I've probably seen more cocks and cunts in close-up than you've had hot dinners. Only a VD specialist will have seen more so no need for you to worry and it only takes a quick flick of my fingers to make it go down. Shoes first though.
They were almost through when the Chief announced a briefing in the canteen in five minutes. They could eat and listen at the same time.
Chief Ted cleared his throat. Take off is in 27, no 26, minutes and we may continue this briefing during the flight although I want to go through the equipment we have with Bob during that time too. Flight time 36 minutes and we will arrive over Titiaho about an hour before their dawn. At 1,000 feet we will drop two flares - or perhaps one Spitfire." The canteen erupted into laughter. "They will light the area until well after dawn. Bob and I particularly will use that time to size up the situation and come up with a plan of action. The rest of you will set up tents and the equipment. Once we know where and if there are any survivors, then we well do what is necessary to rescue them." He went on to explain the situation in more detail and called on Bob to give them his points.
*******
The landing went to schedule and the equipment was unloaded, including two huge robots that Sheila had not seen before. All of them were given bright blue hard hats to wear. Some of the natives, frightened at first, became aggressive. Chief Ted came to her. "Right my little ray of sunshine, we know you have a clever way with words, talk to these people."
"I can't speak their language, Chief."
"No, but if you put this in your ear and speak through the microphone, you will be able to speak and understand Spanish which many of them will understand too."
"Ladies and gentlemen." The Spanish equivalent came loud and clear from the speaker, but few took any notice. She moved to an open area. Covering the microphone she said, "Charles, hold me up on your shoulders please."
Charles did and for once she was able to look down on people. They had to look up to her. In the flickering light of the flares her shirt radiantly reflected multi-coloured light. Even to those who knew her, it was a dramatic sight; to the natives she appeared a goddess. Sheila told them who she was, who her friends were and why they were here. She spoke slowly making sure that most could understand what she said. She asked for someone with whom she could talk about what happened and how many were in the wreckage. An elderly man, Pedro, was pushed forward and started to speak in his native tongue and then in rapid Spanish. Once she made him understand he had to speak slowly, they were able to converse quite well. During the night they had rescued two more children and one adult. All three were injured. She asked where they were and a makeshift tent was pointed out. She called Freida over and introduced her to Pedro saying she was a nurse and explained about the three injured people. Freida said the hospital tent would soon be ready but would look at patients immediately. One child's injuries were very serious and required surgery. She opened a video link to Doctor Johnson who agreed. The nearest large hospital was at Trujillo several hundred miles away. Using Sheila as an interpreter, Frieda explained this to the boy's mother who was crying by his side. 
"The spacecraft will get him and her there in no time," Sheila remarked, "Can we not ask the pilot?"
"We can ask," said Freida, "but he may not agree. We are in a country where we shouldn't be. It's fairly okay out in the wilds but to go to a city and land is another matter."
"We can't let the boy just die, Freida. At least try calling the pilot."
It was a video link and they could both see the pilot was worried but when shown the condition of the boy he agreed to try. First he would have to see what pictures the satellite could give him of the Trujillo area. Five minutes later, he came back. The hospital has a helipad so if we don't quite land and do a quick in and out, it could be possible.
"We'll see if the mother will let him go and then get him ready. Will get back to you. Thanks Gene."
Sheila had to explain the plan and the mother after some misgivings did agree to take him. Swiftly and silently the craft came in and hovered a few feet above the ground. Robos carried the stretchered lad to the craft and Sheila escorted the mother. In second they were away and very shortly after, hovered over the helipad in Trujillo. As soon as the passengers were safely on the ground, Gene had Communications link Dr. Johnson with the Trujillo hospital to explain the injuries. 
Outside the sun had climbed from behind the mountain and was beginning to warm the earth. Bob asked Sheila if she could get everyone absolutely silent while he and the Chief flew an instrument over the site that would detect body heat and heartbeats. They couldn't do it with people shouting in several languages and heaving rocks around. Again she stood on Charles shoulders. The early morning sunlight on her top was dazzling but it created attention. She gave her instructions first in English, then in Spanish. A few natives continued to jabber even when asked again. Asking Charles to take her over, she repeated the commands with such vehemence the English version silenced them.
The flight revealed a large group of people in an underground chamber, now only a few feet high and a few scattered individuals. All the information was fed into a computer, which revealed that it was too dangerous to dig directly down on the group. Air too was in short supply but they were able to insert an air hose under a loose piece of rock. It was a delicate operation because dislodging the rock might cause the whole lot to tumble but it was successful. A tunnelling machine was then brought in to dig under what was an outside wall into the chamber. It took a couple of hours but fifteen individuals were brought out alive. Two dead were left. They were trapped and moving them could cause injury to the rescuers. All the survivors were injured. Most were filthy and covered in blood. The volunteer group who a week ago considered themselves toughies, were shocked and it turned the stomachs of two. They were quietly sick behind some rubble. Sheila passed the language translator to Freida so she could communicate with her patients easier which left her free to help the rescuers. She told Chief Ted what she had done and said that if he wanted her to give any more general election speeches on his behalf, she would get it back. Bob had some knowledge of holiday Spanish so could give simple instructions.
Four more, two adults and two children, now their location was known, were rescued by fairly simple digging. Two more bodies were brought out at the same time. This left a problem one. A young girl with her foot crushed under a stone beam. Another beam was precariously balanced near her head. They dare not remove anything from above her until the beam was stabilised. Bob found a concrete pipe about a foot diameter and Chief ordered one of the large robos to bring and slowly feed it under the beam while the other carefully removed the rocks that were in the way. It was a very delicate operation but the robos had far more control over their power than humans and successfully completed the task. Even with the beam stabilised the amount of loose rubble above the girl prevented the rescuers digging down from above. Chief sent in robot camera to assess the situation. The girl was alive but wouldn't be for much longer if she wasn't got out. He fed the pictures through to the doctor on the spacestation.
"The girls leg will have to be amputated," came the reply. "Can anyone get through that pipe?" Sheila was alongside the Chief when the reply came through. 
"Well I'm the smallest," she said. She lay on the ground and tried to enter the pipe. She was just able to get her shoulders through and then was stuck. Chief pulled her out. Sheila stripped off her top to a remark from one of the bystanders, "You mustn't get that dirty, Spitfire." She shucked off her trousers too and revealed her still very colourful bottom to everyone as she lay down. The natives were amazed and wondered if all white men treated their women that way. She got in past her shoulders this time but the concrete was rough on her skin. When pulled out there were scratches on her arms and breasts.
"Hold it, Spitfire. Don't go in yet. You need oiling or greasing and lots of it. And you need a rope to pull yourself in and you and I need to know what you have to do once you get in there." He'd done this before as an army survival training exercise but that was with a larger and smoother plastic pipe.
A rope with a hook was found and threaded through the pipe until the hook engaged on the far end. Chief summoned his wife to see if she had anything that would grease a body but the medi-kit only contained small pots of salve. Sheila took the translator. "I need a large pot of grease or oil so I can slide through this pipe. Anyone able to help?" Seeing the naked girl, white in the sun looking straight at them uncaring of her nudity, they would have found anything for her. There was a flurry of discussion and two ran to a small farmhouse, no more than a shack really remarkably still standing, and came back with a very large tin of tractor grease. 
She heard the Chief talking to Doc. Johnson and then he put an earpiece into her ear and she was in direct contact with the doctor. "Hi, Sheila, It's David," he said, "Are you sure you are up to this? It isn't just a matter of crawling through a pipe, once in there you have to put a needle in the little girl and then cut her foot off. That's something that should only be attempted under anaesthetic and in sterile conditions. Even if you do succeed, she may still die."
"I've got to make the attempt. She'll certainly die if I don't and all these people are depending on me."
"Okay, then. If you're sure. Ask Freida to get you a laser knife and a 10 mil syringe of the same stuff as was injected into you this morning, I won't give you its long proper name." She did this and David continued, "Now get greased up." 
She turned back to Chief Ted, I'm to be greased up now. Chief laughed. "Now I do get to rub your arse and I can do it in front of the wife too!" He took a great handful and slopped it on her breasts and began smearing it over her body. Kate appeared with a microphone and asked her what she was going to do. Sheila was somewhat shocked. She had noticed Jayne and Kate filming all morning but their paths hadn't crossed too much but now, naked, Jayne had the camera focused on her and Kate was asking questions. She tried to answer but sometimes they came out as giggles as Chiefs hands found sensitive and ticklish parts. When she came to telling Kate she had to cut the girl's foot off, her face really fell as the full impact of what she had to do hit her.
Freida returned just as her husband was greasing Sheila's bum. "You've got your hands on her bum at last you dirty old bugger." She laughed at him. "And I've caught you at it. Just wait till I get you home." This was aimed more at the crowd and gained applause. It lightened the seriousness of the situation. Chief put the remainder of the grease around the inside of the pipe. It smelt awful especially as the grease began to heat up in the sun. 
Freida showed her how to operate the laser knife and the hypodermic. A robot camera and light was sent into the pipe and they strapped the knife and needle to it so she would have nothing to take with her. Jayne also connected her camera to the monitor set up outside for the others to see what was happening at the end of the pipe. From Jayne’s camera the events would be transmitted directly to her studio and in fact they networked it worldwide. 
When neither Chief nor Bob seemed able to control the robot very well, Ben, a video game fanatic, grabbed the controls and did excellently. A plastic sheet had been laid on the ground and part way into the pipe entrance since her earlier attempt so the grease wouldn't pick up dirt. Sheila entered and started pulling on the rope. Chief tried to lift her body as much as he was able to ease her passage and prevent some scratching. Even so, she knew she would be badly scratched by the time she came out and she still wasn't too certain in her mind she could actually cut through a child's leg in cold blood. 
Slowly she worked her way painfully inside pipe until the end of the rope and then dragged herself another foot or so to reach the child. Sheila spoke reassuringly to the semi conscious girl even though she knew the child wouldn't understand a word she was saying. 
David talked quietly and continuously as in one long sentence, trying to keep her calm and stop any panic. "Right now, Sheila, take the syringe, remove the orange cap, that's it, hold it point upwards and eject a little liquid, now you see the girls right arm, place the needle against the flesh you see in front of you, push it in, a little further, now push the plunger all the way down, take out the needle, put it right out of your way, I am going to talk to Freida now, Sheila, you need to wait a few moments for the injection to take full effect, I know it seemed to work quickly on you this morning but you only had a sore bum. Freida, will you try and get an airline in with extra oxygen. Not too much pressure as we don't want to increase the amount of dust. Okay back to you Sheila, this is where you start to your new career as a surgeon, take the laser knife and remove the cover like Freida showed you, that's right, place it against the leg, little further towards the knee, that's better, set the control to 7, can you see it in there?" Sheila stuttered, "Yes." "Good, now just move your hand round a little, the other way, a little more, Ben can you move the camera forward slightly so I can see the end of the knife, yes, that's lovely, Sheila, in a moment I am going to tell you to press the red button and hold it down while you bring the knife towards the ground in a slicing action, just like you would with an electric knife on a loaf of bread, there will be a burning smell that you must ignore, just keep slicing down until I tell you to stop. Are you ready? Again Sheila stuttered a "Yes." "Press the red button now, bring the knife slowly down, keep going, going, stop." 
Sheila instinctively knew she had finished cutting and had released the button microseconds before instructed. Surprisingly there was little blood. The laser knife cauterised the wound as it cut.
"Aaaahg," A gurgled cry came from the girl and then she lay strangely still. "I've killed her," Sheila screamed, "I've killed her!"
"Calm yourself Sheila." David's reassuring voice came into her ear. "The girl is not dead, she had a lot more drug than you did in a smaller body. She is sleeping. Try pulling her towards you." 
Sheila did and the girl moved and moaned. Tears flowed from Sheila's eyes making it difficult for her to see, "She IS alive. She's alive!" Vaguely she heard a cheer from outside but David's voice was in her ear again. "Try moving her round a little more so that her head is between your arms." In the confined space it was difficult but she managed it. Get hold of her under the armpits Sheila and hold on while Chief and his crew pull you back. It will be painful for you but try and protect the little one as much as you can. Chief bring her back slowly, watch the video in case anything snags. Ben, follow them with the camera."
Sheila felt the rope around her ankles tighten and she began to go backwards. She felt the rough concrete cut her legs, her thighs, her breasts, and her back. It seemed everywhere. Soon her whole body was in the pipe but the girl's shoulder snagged on the lip at the end. "Stop!" Sheila yelled and then freed her from the obstruction. On they went until she felt hands lifting her legs and trying to lift them from the rough surface. She was crying helplessly as they lifted her up blood streaming from innumerable cuts to her body. As they took the girl from her she saw her face for the first time in daylight. A sweet little face. A face she would remember all her life. 
The next few minutes were a blur. Sheila shook and cried as hands wiped the grease and blood from her torn body. She saw Jayne with her camera in snapshot views, she heard Kate asking but she couldn't understand what she was saying. And then she was lying down but moving. Then a prick in the arm and nothing.
********
She awoke in a hospital bed in the spacestation. Chris was at her side holding her hand. Seeing she was awake he kissed her over and over again. On a chair at her bedside she saw her blue trousers and her psychedelic top. "Got to keep out of Chief's way. He promised to tan my arse for that."
"I think you will get away with it this time. Freida's already threatened to use the laser knife on his balls if he touches you again. She hasn't forgiven him for the way he massaged the grease over your tits and bum," laughed Chris. 
"Is the girl okay?"
"As far as we know, yes. They dropped her off at Trujillo hospital and she should be fine."
"Did you know you are a world wide heroine?"
"No?"
"Jayne's film and Kate's commentary went out live and was picked up by stations throughout Europe, North and South America and many other countries. James ordered a complete ban on interviews and phone calls to you but Jayne and Kate are still here. They were exhausted, as were most of the others in your group. Almost all work stopped here and I could hardly see the screen for tears. I know there is no God but I prayed all the same. Some fainted when you cut the girl's foot off. Seems most of the world stopped work at the time."
"Does my body look a mess? Have you seen it? I haven't dared to look."
"Your body will always look good to me," replied Chris, "But it does look like you've been pulled through a thorny hedge backwards." He lifted the sheet for her to see. "David says most will heal in a few days but the bruises will last longer."
"Where's Charles?"
"Outside the door." 
"Charles, please come in." Chris have you a gown I can wear? A nice fancy one."
"No, but Helga has."
He went to the phone, made a call and shortly after Helga entered with a random psychedelic patterned gown. "You'll get me the sack," she said as Sheila thanked her. "Good job you have friends in high places. I asked Ralph himself to order its making."
Sheila tried to stand but was still very wobbly on her feet. Her body did indeed look a mess. Hardly a square inch of her front and sides remained unscratched but she had been cleaned up. They helped her on with the new cape. David entered, "And where do you think you are going?"
"Must be nearly dinnertime. I'm starving." She looked at the clock. 7.02. "Damn, it'll be over. Call yourself a boyfriend," she chided Chris, "And you didn't even wake me for dinner!" Then it clicked. They used the 24 hour clock system here. "It's morning?"
"Yes, you should be in time for P.E. but I can give you an excuse note," laughed David. "Why don't you lie down for a bit. You get breakfast in bed here."
"No I want to see the others. Charles please carry me to the bedroom. Be gentle please, I'm a bit sore."
"Only the four who had stayed were up. The others were given a day off. They were a bit jealous and wished they had gone but seeing Sheila trying to walk towards them holding on to Charles, obviously in much worse condition than they, thought perhaps they made the right decision after all. They chatted for a short while until taken to the hall for the dreaded P.E.

Chapter 7. Banned to Earth
Sheila, pleaded, begged, cajoled, wheedled, threatened, demanded, cried and sobbed. She tried everything she could think of. All to no avail. They were going to send her back to Earth. In the three weeks since arriving back from Peru, she had almost fully recovered. Feint marks from her first caning remained and a few minor cuts and bruises from concrete pipe but she could move round without any problem. Apart from the few days of her period she made love with Chris every night. 'Made love' might make it sound as it was a gentle, restrained affair. Not so. Certainly there was love but Sheila threw herself into it with unrestrained energy. They fucked hard and it no longer mattered where they were. When they could, they borrowed Jackie's room, but if that was occupied then the beds in the bedroom sufficed even though their performance was watched, and commented on by others in the group. James still wouldn't allow her to sleep in Chris' room.
Chris too was very upset at her enforced departure. He tried to persuade James and then Ralph to let her stay. Ralph might have agreed to it as Sheila was a favourite of his and he too would be sorry when she left, but he said his son was now in charge and he couldn't override his wishes on that point. 
Jayne and Kate had agreed to let Sheila stay in their flat so she did have a place to go to but no money and no job. The reporters did not see that as a problem given her fame, they could get her work. She didn't want anything other than to stay.
James frequently pointed out that he had told her right at the beginning not to get too involved with Chris. She hadn't really listened then. She had to listen now.
Departure was in an hour. An idea came. A desperate one but if the suffragettes could do it so could she. Summoning Charles, she had the robot clasp her to one of the main pillars of the Spacestation. "Hold me tight Charles and don't let me go until I tell you."
James was furious. He brought in a couple of the newer robos and commanded Sheila to have Charles release her. "You don't want Charles damaged do you? These two robos can easily pull Charles arms away to release you but they would damage his mechanism. So release yourself."
Sheila had no choice. She commanded Charles to let go and stood in front of James. "What have I got to do to stay here? Beat up another old lady? I don't think I could take 48 strokes of the cane!"
"And if you did that, you would sent back immediately afterwards. Now get your stuff and be ready to leave." Sobbing and watched by two robos, she did as she was told. Marjorie, George, Rachel and others came by to say tearful good-byes. They didn't agree with James' decision but couldn't do anything about it.
*******
Jayne and Kate met her when she landed. They filmed her arrival and her sobbing, heart-rending story. It was broadcast and picked up at the station but if anything it only served to harden James' resolve. 
Kate and Jayne did try and comfort her in the only way they knew. They lay Sheila between their naked bodies and hugged and kissed her. They fondled her breasts and sexual parts and skilfully brought her several climaxes. They were able to calm her down and as the days passed the trio got to know each other better. They all slept naked in one bed but while their attentions were better than nothing, Sheila still craved for Chris' cock and his love. She spent long periods alone, very depressed and weeping." 
Jayne particularly tried to help and between her and Kate's contacts they were able to arrange for her to appear on radio and TV shows. These brought in more money than she had ever seen before and created an interest and served to brighten her day if only for an hour or two each time. It also allowed her to rent a room of her own not far from the Studio but without the company she became more introverted and depressed.
Four weeks after Sheila's return to Earth, Kate came bouncing into the flat. "Hey Spitfire, how would you like to go and see Evara? She's out of hospital now and in another children's home in Trujillo." Evara was the little girl whose life she had saved. "My boss says we can fly out and film you and her together again. Would that cheer you up?"
The trio flew out business class and were treated like royalty. It was a long, dreary flight though with a change of planes at Lima. During this time she became very withdrawn reflecting on what could have been it only James wasn't so stubborn. She did want to see the girl again and in fact actually to see her. All she had seen was a comatose body lying in semi-darkness under a pile of rock. She had seen the TV pictures of her in the hospital but that wasn't like the real living girl. "How will I communicate with her without the translator? Will she know anything about me? Will she still be in agony?" All these thought kept racing through her mind as she flew in a 'real plane' for the first time. Kate and Jayne were dosing so she had to keep these thoughts bottled up inside her.
In the event, she needed have worried. Evara was lively and stormed around the room on crutches. Sheila chased her and they ended up tickling each other on the floor. Jayne filmed it all and transmitted it live. 24hours News had hyped the event and worked up a lot of worldwide media attention. They wanted to make as much money as possible from the tragic reunion. 
Sheila wore the multicoloured 'blue suit' and shoes she had brought back from Molly Spacestation. It was the outfit viewers would remember her shedding before she wormed her naked body into the concrete pipe. A local woman who spoke English well enough to be readily understood had been provided to accompany them at the home. She told them what might happen to Evara in the future and showed Sheila the false foot that Evara would wear when the wound had healed sufficiently and was less tender. It was a simple plastic affair. Seeing it, Sheila burst into tears. She remembered the beautiful fully working hand Chris had made. "My Chris would make a much better one," she cried, "But they won't let me even ask him."
Seeing her new friend upset, little Evara, having no understanding of what caused the distress ran and threw her arms around Sheila's neck. It was a poignant scene and one that touched the hearts of millions of viewers. 
Later that day, Sheila attended a formal ceremony at which she was awarded a silver medal for her bravery but that didn't have the same appeal as the informal romp at the home. Next day she saw Evara again but without the camera and only for an hour before they caught the flight home.
The broadcast was of course picked up on Molly. All who saw it were very moved and many now openly expressed their disagreement with James' for turning her away. She had brightened their life for a short time and would welcome her back if they could. James too was moved but stubbornness, pride and loss of face wouldn't allow him to back down. As head of the spacestation he couldn't be seen to let that young girl get the better of him.

Chapter 8. Return 'home'
Chris lay in a hospital bed, in fact the one Sheila had used on her return. Blearily and crying he watched Sheila and Evara. When he heard her outburst, "Why won't they let her come back to me!" he screamed the words at the top of his voice. Doctor Johnson came in and tried to calm him and give him a sedative but it was refused. "Let me die, Doc. Let me die. Life is no longer worth living."
"It could be if only you would start eating," the doctor said. Chris had become very depressed when Sheila was forced to leave. He gave up eating until too weak and they had to force feed him semi-liquid food. It kept him alive but that was all. His mind was a blank. Yvonne pleaded unsuccessfully with James to allow the girl's return arguing that she didn't want to lose one of her finest designer engineers. James still stubbornly refused to listen to reason.
*****
Six weeks after the return of the twelve captives, Ralph and James thought the message should be repeated at different locations. The previous episode was no longer headline news and lawlessness was on the rise again. Marjorie overheard James speaking with Kate and just in time managed to link her phone in with his. When James finished speaking, Marjorie still held the line open and was able to contact Kate directly.
"Kate, don't hang up. This is Marjorie. I'm not supposed to talk to you but I fiddled the connection while James was talking. It's a one and only chance I may get so I probably can't get back to you again. How's Spitfire?"
"She's alive but dead. We can amuse her for an hour or two but the rest of the time she is lifeless. The fire has gone out of her."
"It's the same with Chris. He stopped eating and is being force-fed in the hospital. He'll die before long if we don't get her to him."
"What can we do Marjorie?"
"Listen, here is my plan."
******
The four RH500's hovered eight miles above their targets. Robert and Marjorie were over London. First they had to pick up the reporters from south of the Thames and then proceed to a Finchley, a trouble spot in north London. The navigator and co-pilot set the air chute down right outside of the Studio and Marjorie, Robert and four robos descended. Two watched the outer door while the humans and remaining robos rushed to the flat. Robert ordered his robo to bring the camera gear while Marjorie's picked up a nearby large box labelled computer equipment. Within minutes they were all back in the spacecraft and had returned to their position above the target and were watching the events below as they were revealed on their monitors. 
A group of six white males and four females all armed with staves, looked as if they were about to ambush a group of unsuspecting Asians sauntering homeward across some waste ground. In seconds, the spacecraft plunged from eight miles down to eighty feet then eight feet. Two bluemen firing silent stun guns and ten robos emerged. They were fractionally too late to prevent two of the Asians being hit by the youths but all ten of the attackers lay unconscious on the ground. Only a minute later the crew, robos and the ten men and women were on their way to Spacestation Molly.
They were the second craft to return and the first was still being unloaded. Marjorie ordered a couple of robos to transport the camera gear and the large box and show the ladies to their room.
"Don't open the box until things get well underway in the hall and James is occupied," Marjorie whispered to Jayne. 
Half an hour later nearly everyone was in the hall, undressing and checking the captives. There were 19 so far and another craft had just arrived. Marjorie came back to the ladies ostensibly checking everything was alright for them and to see if they needed anything. Stooping to the box she whispered through an air hole, "Spitfire, You'll have to wait a little while longer so control your impatience but once all the spacecraft are in and their cargo unloaded, then it should go very quiet here as everyone will be in the hall. Then you can slip out and call for Charles. He is in James' room and they haven't re-programmed him so he will still only respond to your voice. Get him to take you to the hospital. Chris is there. David will be in the hall doing blood tests and things so you should have it all to yourselves. I don't know what James'll say when he finds out. No doubt you will think of an answer. Good luck"
A whispered, "Thanks," came back.
The last spacecraft came in and transported its human cargo to the hall. Jayne and Kate left for the hall too and started preliminary filming. "Watch the camera for a moment Kate while I get a filter" Jayne said it just loud enough for James to hear but he was otherwise occupied. Jayne went to the room and opened the box. Small though she was, there wasn't much room in it and Sheila felt cramps in her muscles. 
"You ought to have worn a less conspicuous outfit," Jayne whispered.
"No, this is my home and I am staying. I can't hide forever. Just for a hour or so." She did grab one of the sheets from the bed and covered herself as she made her way to James' room.
"Charles, please come here." There was a click and the digital lock freed the door. "Charles, please carry me to the hospital and to Chris." Swiftly and silently she arrived at Chris' bedside. She was aghast at the sight. Chris was pale and gaunt. His eyes were closed and his breathing shallow. A shadow of his former self.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she cried out, "Chris, Chris, wake up. Look at me. I'm back my love." An eyelid flickered open. Then again soon both eyes stared at her. 
"Is it really you Sheila? It isn't a dream?"
"No, my love." She gave him a light punch in the chest. "Did that feel real?" She climbed under the sheet and held him closely to her. "Does this feel real?" She planted a long kiss on his lips. They held each other for a long while until David appeared at the door. He looked at her. Then smiled.
"I'm not going to ask how you got here and I don't think James knows as I just left him but I do know you are the best medicine Chris can have."
"What does he have to do to get better?"
"Eat. But not real solid food yet. He's been too long on baby food mush we have forced down his throat to have much yet. Needs little and often. There some in the fridge and you can warm it in the microwave for about 10 seconds. I haven't seen you and I must get these tests done."
"How long before James gives his speech to the newcomers?"
"Few are awake yet so I guess a little under an hour. Why? You aren't going to......? Are you?" On your head be it. Now I must get on. Nice to see you though."
She started to feed Chris spoonful by spoonful but then put some on her nipple and allowed him to suck it from there. It was getting to be like old times. When he'd had as much as it seemed he could take she kissed him and said she would be back shortly.
******
James had nearly finished his rehearsed speech about traditional methods of punishment and what the effect on them would be. Whispering to Charles and wearing her multi-coloured gown, she rode on his shoulders into the hall. They came in slightly behind James and the audience saw her before he did. They fell silent. She stood as high as she could and allowed the light to play on the random pattern psychedelic colours. A professional actor could not have made a more dramatic entrance. Her arms were outstretched Christ-like or like a modern angel. She knew too that she was centred in Jayne's lens and this was being sent out live. 
"I am Sheila, better known here as Spitfire. About two months ago, I came here like you after having beaten and cut the face of a pensioner for just £12.58. Like you are going to be, I was caned. I had 16 strokes, if you are lucky you will only get twelve. Some of the stripes still show faintly across my arse. They hurt then. They hurt like hell. They hurt like hell for days but gradually I learned why they were given. I received not just pain but self-esteem. People cared for me. For the first time in my life I had real friends. I was part of a community. I am still part of that community. So I say to you all, if you are one of the chosen ones who are given a month to stay here, be glad. My life, the life of those who were with me for that month changed completely for the better. Your lives will too. Just don't make judgements before the end of the month. Only then will you appreciate what is being done for you."
Sheila turned slightly towards James, "I will be here too and will try and help you particularly through the first few very difficult days when you think nothing will take away the pain, the humiliation and the torment. Remember you will get through it and come out the other side in far better shape than you are now. If someone my size can, then you can too." She jumped down from Charles shoulders and her diminutive size immediately became apparent. "I was appointed supervisor to the previous group and now I will be your supervisor, your link with Mr. James and the bosses. I will help you in any way I can so that by the end of your month, you can take your place in a better world, a better England."
Sheila paused. "Over now to you Mr. James. I have a patient to attend to." She turned to Charles, "Take me back to Chris please."
For a few minutes James stood dumbfounded. A thousand questions went through his mind. How? Why? Surely it wasn't possible? But his captives were waiting and Spitfire had left the room. He couldn't but help admire her courage. For her to come back and openly present herself before him and do it in a way, that he couldn't reject. That took skill and courage.
A round of applause went up from the assembled Bluemen. Some of the captives would have joined in too had not their hands been tied.
James knew he had to let her stay.

Finis