Lottery
Chapter 3
By Mark J. Silva Jr
Mark had never been more then three stories off the ground, before. Standing on the spacecraft's bridge had made him queasy. One of General Bradly's staff members recognized that Mark was about to lose his lunch, and quickly walked him away from the main forward ports.
“I'm sorry I didn't”
“It's okay, Mark, many people get vertigo,” the officer said.
“But I made a fool of General Bradly by getting…”
“No, you didn't. Look over at her,”
Mark look up from the waste bin his face had been in, and Lisa smiled back at him from her spot on the bridge.
“Mark, almost anyone without the right wetware will get sick on a ship. The General knows this. She warned us you didn’t have any wetware at all.”
The commander helped Mark back to his feet, and gave him a pill, explaining it would help. She then readjusted his uniform.
Mark wore an all black ONI uniform, with the ranking of Sub-General on oak leaves. This denoted Mark as the General's personal property. He had no real rank, but he was treated as one of her officers. Mark then heard a bell jingle. He looked behind him and smiled. Vicky was close by wearing a blue uniform with no ranking. She just had tags saying she was Mark's pet, and a collar around her neck with a bell on it.
“Thirty seconds until we enter the atmosphere, Captain,” one crew member hollered out.
Mark looked around, and saw the ship's captain sitting in her command chair.
“Button up the ship for atmospheric maneuvering,” she replied back to anyone that was listening.
The ship shuddered a little. The view screen flared red, just before it went tactical and showed an enhanced view of their flight path.
A hand was placed on Mark's shoulder. Mark hadn't even seen Lisa move from her place. Now she was behind him. She pulled Mark back, close to herself.
“Relax, blue eyes. It's going to get rougher before we land.”
Mark's head was nestled between her breasts and her arms were wrapped around him. It confused him, as Lisa was well known for her affection for females and even better known for her out right disgust with males. It had always confused him as to why she came that day, and had saved him. The way she was holding him now, just added to his confusion.
Vicky walked up to them, and sat at Mark's feet, unfazed by all that was going on around them. The ship started bucking and fighting as it dove deeper into the Onyx atmosphere. The medicine Mark had been given helped a little, but he still was feeling a bit sick as they plunged downwards. Lisa noticed Mark's pulse had quickened, and that he was feeling clammy, so she turned him to face her. She saw the look on his face.
“Maybe I should have let you sleep through this, after all,”
Mark couldn't answer. He was fighting against getting sick, so only nodded his agreement.
“Breathe in your nose, and relax. That actually does help,”
Mark was losing the fight, then suddenly Mark noticed Lisa's eyes look at someone behind him. Then there was a hissing sound, and Mark passed out.
* * * *
Mark opened his eyes and found himself in a room on the surface. he knew this by the large open sliding glass door that led outside. Neither Vicky or Tina was in the room at the time, but that really didn't mean much. They had enough freewill to find things that needed to be done and to do them.
Finding a clean set of clothes on a nearby dresser, Mark got dressed. When he found his door sealed from the outside, he stepped through the slider, and found he was about six stories above the ground. The balcony was rather large, and there was plenty of room for Mark to relax and enjoy the view in safety. Yes, safety. While the balcony was outside, there was also a barely visibly energy shield wrapped around it.
Mark was an asset, a living breathing asset, and Sub-General Lisa Bradly was not going to chance Mark being harmed in any way. Not even by a stray insect. But the view was worth it, Mark could see for miles, down through a Valley that ended at some large body of water. It was a major difference from the mega-city where he had grown up.
Mark heard the door open, and footsteps came up behind him.
“Excuse me, Mr. Howland.”
Mark turned and found himself looking into the face of a slave. True, Mark was one in a way, also; but on this young man it showed in his dress and the thick leather choke-collar he wore.
“Yes?” Mark asked.
“I'm Brent. Mistress Ozland has ordered I come and wake you, Mr. Howland,” the young man said.
“Okay… but I am awake,”
“Of course you are Mr. Howland, if you can get ready we are expected back in Mistress' office,”
Mark looked over at his uniform jacket and wonder what Brent would do or say once he saw it. Mark walked over to the dresser and picked it up. He put the jacket on with his back to Brent; but, once Mark turned around, Brent's eyes widened as he realized Mark was also owned.
“But you, how, this doesn't make sense?” Brent said.
“What doesn't make sense,” Mark asked,
Brent looked lost and stiffened up, haveing decided something, “Sir, I was told you are the new project director, but how can that be if you are like me?”
Mark walked over to Brent and tapped him on the shoulder, “I can't tell you why, because I only know what is wanted from me. Now, Brent, tell me about your Mistress.”
Brent eased up as he recited, “Mistress Ozland is the post commander. She is a First Colonel, and is very strict, demanding the best from everyone in her command.”
First Colonel meant that Lisa outranked her, so he should be safe from her. But, she was 'strict', and that meant she'd get on him as soon as Lisa left, if she hadn't just yet.
“Does she beat you, Brent?” Mark asked.
“No, Sir. She is kind and fair,” Brent spat out.
It was well rehearsed, but Brent’s eyes told the whole story. The woman enjoyed beating him, and there was no one here to stand up for him. Sol's laws didn't reach this far out 'in the black.'
* * * *
Mark was pleased to see that Lisa was in Robin Ozland's office. Mark could tell that Ms. Ozland was not to happy about it at all.
“Mr. Howland, welcome to Pixieland. When you leave this office, you will be known as Director Howland. You will have your own staff who will treat you in accordance with your official ranking of Sub-General, but remember this; your gains are Sub-General Bradly's gains, but your failures are hers, also. I understand you have two pets. Please remember they are not to enter any restricted areas at any time. I will be assigning you a liaison to handle your day to day affairs,” Robin said, sipping from the fresh cup of coffee Brent had brought her.
“Mark, dear, you will have free rein to do what you do best. But remember that this is First Colonel Ozland's post. She is responsible for your well being, as well as the safety of all on this post. I am leaving Heather here, as your caretaker. She will be my eyes and ears, looking out for you,” Lisa said.
Heather stepped out from behind a bookcase and smiled at Mark, she was one of Lisa's closest slaves and it showed. Her uniform was just like Mark's with the same ranking and all, but Heather was in her late twenties. Heather stepped forward of Lisa, and took her place beside Mark.
“Heather is bright and quick, and as deadly as a viper. It will be her job to protect you and make sure you behave.”
That was it, Heather was here in case Mark screwed up and needed to be punished in some way. It also meant that Ozland couldn't touch him, if she got a wild hair up her ass. Mark was betting Heather had all types of wetware, and would send Lisa reports daily.
Lisa looked at Mark. She smiled as she walked over to him and looked into his eyes.
“I know it's a big change for you, but you have done me proud over the years. I know you will make me proud of owning you. I know you will make some small mistakes, and I expect there will be a few big ones, too. You are still young. We have built a full wing, where you will live and work. Every precaution has been taken for your safety.”
'And to keep me from running away,' Mark thought as Lisa spoke.
“Sadly, this also means you will have very few visitors. Robin can be a real bitch at times and she does know this.”
Ozland smiled even more in agreement.
“But she knows her job, and knows how to protect her people. I have hand picked the senior staff here so do not think you can get away by saying you have rank. You are extended the rank as a courtesy. It can be taken away at any time. As you will see and learn, there are very few slaves here that carry any rank at all. Those that do are the ones who work their asses off!”
Mark swallowed and to his surprise Lisa leaned forward and planted a kiss on his forehead.
“If you do well, and behave, I will reward you.”
The meeting went on for another hour, and Mark's feet and legs started hurting. When it was finally over, Mark left the office and found Vicky and Tina waiting by the door for him.
“You want to go to the lab, or visit the chow hall first?” Heather asked.
“Something to eat would be nice. May I call you 'Heather'?” Mark asked.
“Of course you can, Mark. Besides making sure your ass is covered, I am hoping we can become friends,” Heather said as they headed down the hall and out side into a court yard.
The Chow hall was set up in a buffet style. Mark made his way to the pizza of course and grabbed a bunch of sweets that Heather quickly nixed from his tray.
“Hey, I wanted those!”
“You can choose one, Mark.”
Mark looked at her and said, “I didn't know you were the Snack Police, also.”
Heather smiled and tapped his nose.
“Snack, sleep, bathing… even sex, if needed, Mark. Lisa wants you kept in the best of health, and she says you can have one sweet snack or a few fruits if you are hungry.”
“Let me guess: direct link com.”
Heather laughed and nodded as she said, “Sight and sound! So, yes, she is keeping a close tabs on you. Also, I am not the only one she has hardwired and watching over you.”
'Oh, great, Lisa has a spy network keeping tabs on me,' Mark thought. “So can you tell me who? Or will I have to figure that out for myself?”
“Well, I don't know all of them; but your pets are in the network, and so is your primary lab assistant: Cherry,”
“What do you mean my pets are in? There mine, not hers!” Mark heatedly said.
Heather looked around, “There's a booth, over there. Let's go talk about this over there.”
Mark was steaming but he followed Heather over to the booth and sat down.
Mark placed his slices of pizza down, and slid into place in the booth while Heather sat herself down and switched on the privacy mode from the booth's control panel.
“Look, Mark, Lisa has spent a lot of money on you; yet, she has not altered you in any way. So, she needs other ways to protected her property, and investment.”
“But they're mine, not hers!”
“They are about to find you, no matter what, Mark. Unlike me, or any of the others, she cannot directly track you or communicate with you. If someone was to realize this, and snatched you, your two pets are her only way of locating you.” Heather said as she picked through her salad.
Mark stared at his food, and didn’t feel hungry anymore. He started to push the tray away but Heather placed her hand on it and pushed it back.
“You need to eat,”
Mark sat back and crossed his arms in refusal.
“Look, I know you're mad; but it's done, and you can not change that fact. Now eat, so we can go check out the labs.”
* * * *
Four months passed, and Mark was bored; not just bored, but Really Bored! The AI project was well ahead of track, the fix task tended to be hard, but he solved them. He wasn't feeling challenged and was getting sick of always seeing the same walls. There was two settlements close by the base, but he wasn't allowed out of his wing. It was driving him crazy.
His request for access to a slip-grav driver was denied. Ozland's response said he had no need for access to a weapons system. Mark started swearing up and down, again.
“She didn’t even read the fucking request!” Mark screamed as he tossed his tablet through a display screen causing it to explode in a blast of sparks.
Mark stomped out of the lab, as the techs started cleaning up his mess.
Mark had seen the slip-grav driver in lab four, two weeks earlier. He'd had an idea, but he needed to know how the 'slip' was created. There was nothing in his database about it, and his fifteen requests had all been denied. Well no security door was going to keep him from learning what he needed to know.
Mark slipped into an access corridor, and down to a maintenance shaft that ran between the labs. He found the security panel to lab four. In manual mode, Mark broke the encryption. He entered his access codes, allowing him full access to lab four.
It would have been perfect, except that Mark didn’t know about lab four's exclusive security AI. Lab four was a weapons lab, and had more then just the standard security safeties. When Mark hacked into the lab, the AI recorded what was happening, and what Mark did. To the AI's surprise, though, it couldn't lock Mark out! Mark had hardwired his access into the system.
“I'm sorry I didn't”
“It's okay, Mark, many people get vertigo,” the officer said.
“But I made a fool of General Bradly by getting…”
“No, you didn't. Look over at her,”
Mark look up from the waste bin his face had been in, and Lisa smiled back at him from her spot on the bridge.
“Mark, almost anyone without the right wetware will get sick on a ship. The General knows this. She warned us you didn’t have any wetware at all.”
The commander helped Mark back to his feet, and gave him a pill, explaining it would help. She then readjusted his uniform.
Mark wore an all black ONI uniform, with the ranking of Sub-General on oak leaves. This denoted Mark as the General's personal property. He had no real rank, but he was treated as one of her officers. Mark then heard a bell jingle. He looked behind him and smiled. Vicky was close by wearing a blue uniform with no ranking. She just had tags saying she was Mark's pet, and a collar around her neck with a bell on it.
“Thirty seconds until we enter the atmosphere, Captain,” one crew member hollered out.
Mark looked around, and saw the ship's captain sitting in her command chair.
“Button up the ship for atmospheric maneuvering,” she replied back to anyone that was listening.
The ship shuddered a little. The view screen flared red, just before it went tactical and showed an enhanced view of their flight path.
A hand was placed on Mark's shoulder. Mark hadn't even seen Lisa move from her place. Now she was behind him. She pulled Mark back, close to herself.
“Relax, blue eyes. It's going to get rougher before we land.”
Mark's head was nestled between her breasts and her arms were wrapped around him. It confused him, as Lisa was well known for her affection for females and even better known for her out right disgust with males. It had always confused him as to why she came that day, and had saved him. The way she was holding him now, just added to his confusion.
Vicky walked up to them, and sat at Mark's feet, unfazed by all that was going on around them. The ship started bucking and fighting as it dove deeper into the Onyx atmosphere. The medicine Mark had been given helped a little, but he still was feeling a bit sick as they plunged downwards. Lisa noticed Mark's pulse had quickened, and that he was feeling clammy, so she turned him to face her. She saw the look on his face.
“Maybe I should have let you sleep through this, after all,”
Mark couldn't answer. He was fighting against getting sick, so only nodded his agreement.
“Breathe in your nose, and relax. That actually does help,”
Mark was losing the fight, then suddenly Mark noticed Lisa's eyes look at someone behind him. Then there was a hissing sound, and Mark passed out.
* * * *
Mark opened his eyes and found himself in a room on the surface. he knew this by the large open sliding glass door that led outside. Neither Vicky or Tina was in the room at the time, but that really didn't mean much. They had enough freewill to find things that needed to be done and to do them.
Finding a clean set of clothes on a nearby dresser, Mark got dressed. When he found his door sealed from the outside, he stepped through the slider, and found he was about six stories above the ground. The balcony was rather large, and there was plenty of room for Mark to relax and enjoy the view in safety. Yes, safety. While the balcony was outside, there was also a barely visibly energy shield wrapped around it.
Mark was an asset, a living breathing asset, and Sub-General Lisa Bradly was not going to chance Mark being harmed in any way. Not even by a stray insect. But the view was worth it, Mark could see for miles, down through a Valley that ended at some large body of water. It was a major difference from the mega-city where he had grown up.
Mark heard the door open, and footsteps came up behind him.
“Excuse me, Mr. Howland.”
Mark turned and found himself looking into the face of a slave. True, Mark was one in a way, also; but on this young man it showed in his dress and the thick leather choke-collar he wore.
“Yes?” Mark asked.
“I'm Brent. Mistress Ozland has ordered I come and wake you, Mr. Howland,” the young man said.
“Okay… but I am awake,”
“Of course you are Mr. Howland, if you can get ready we are expected back in Mistress' office,”
Mark looked over at his uniform jacket and wonder what Brent would do or say once he saw it. Mark walked over to the dresser and picked it up. He put the jacket on with his back to Brent; but, once Mark turned around, Brent's eyes widened as he realized Mark was also owned.
“But you, how, this doesn't make sense?” Brent said.
“What doesn't make sense,” Mark asked,
Brent looked lost and stiffened up, haveing decided something, “Sir, I was told you are the new project director, but how can that be if you are like me?”
Mark walked over to Brent and tapped him on the shoulder, “I can't tell you why, because I only know what is wanted from me. Now, Brent, tell me about your Mistress.”
Brent eased up as he recited, “Mistress Ozland is the post commander. She is a First Colonel, and is very strict, demanding the best from everyone in her command.”
First Colonel meant that Lisa outranked her, so he should be safe from her. But, she was 'strict', and that meant she'd get on him as soon as Lisa left, if she hadn't just yet.
“Does she beat you, Brent?” Mark asked.
“No, Sir. She is kind and fair,” Brent spat out.
It was well rehearsed, but Brent’s eyes told the whole story. The woman enjoyed beating him, and there was no one here to stand up for him. Sol's laws didn't reach this far out 'in the black.'
* * * *
Mark was pleased to see that Lisa was in Robin Ozland's office. Mark could tell that Ms. Ozland was not to happy about it at all.
“Mr. Howland, welcome to Pixieland. When you leave this office, you will be known as Director Howland. You will have your own staff who will treat you in accordance with your official ranking of Sub-General, but remember this; your gains are Sub-General Bradly's gains, but your failures are hers, also. I understand you have two pets. Please remember they are not to enter any restricted areas at any time. I will be assigning you a liaison to handle your day to day affairs,” Robin said, sipping from the fresh cup of coffee Brent had brought her.
“Mark, dear, you will have free rein to do what you do best. But remember that this is First Colonel Ozland's post. She is responsible for your well being, as well as the safety of all on this post. I am leaving Heather here, as your caretaker. She will be my eyes and ears, looking out for you,” Lisa said.
Heather stepped out from behind a bookcase and smiled at Mark, she was one of Lisa's closest slaves and it showed. Her uniform was just like Mark's with the same ranking and all, but Heather was in her late twenties. Heather stepped forward of Lisa, and took her place beside Mark.
“Heather is bright and quick, and as deadly as a viper. It will be her job to protect you and make sure you behave.”
That was it, Heather was here in case Mark screwed up and needed to be punished in some way. It also meant that Ozland couldn't touch him, if she got a wild hair up her ass. Mark was betting Heather had all types of wetware, and would send Lisa reports daily.
Lisa looked at Mark. She smiled as she walked over to him and looked into his eyes.
“I know it's a big change for you, but you have done me proud over the years. I know you will make me proud of owning you. I know you will make some small mistakes, and I expect there will be a few big ones, too. You are still young. We have built a full wing, where you will live and work. Every precaution has been taken for your safety.”
'And to keep me from running away,' Mark thought as Lisa spoke.
“Sadly, this also means you will have very few visitors. Robin can be a real bitch at times and she does know this.”
Ozland smiled even more in agreement.
“But she knows her job, and knows how to protect her people. I have hand picked the senior staff here so do not think you can get away by saying you have rank. You are extended the rank as a courtesy. It can be taken away at any time. As you will see and learn, there are very few slaves here that carry any rank at all. Those that do are the ones who work their asses off!”
Mark swallowed and to his surprise Lisa leaned forward and planted a kiss on his forehead.
“If you do well, and behave, I will reward you.”
The meeting went on for another hour, and Mark's feet and legs started hurting. When it was finally over, Mark left the office and found Vicky and Tina waiting by the door for him.
“You want to go to the lab, or visit the chow hall first?” Heather asked.
“Something to eat would be nice. May I call you 'Heather'?” Mark asked.
“Of course you can, Mark. Besides making sure your ass is covered, I am hoping we can become friends,” Heather said as they headed down the hall and out side into a court yard.
The Chow hall was set up in a buffet style. Mark made his way to the pizza of course and grabbed a bunch of sweets that Heather quickly nixed from his tray.
“Hey, I wanted those!”
“You can choose one, Mark.”
Mark looked at her and said, “I didn't know you were the Snack Police, also.”
Heather smiled and tapped his nose.
“Snack, sleep, bathing… even sex, if needed, Mark. Lisa wants you kept in the best of health, and she says you can have one sweet snack or a few fruits if you are hungry.”
“Let me guess: direct link com.”
Heather laughed and nodded as she said, “Sight and sound! So, yes, she is keeping a close tabs on you. Also, I am not the only one she has hardwired and watching over you.”
'Oh, great, Lisa has a spy network keeping tabs on me,' Mark thought. “So can you tell me who? Or will I have to figure that out for myself?”
“Well, I don't know all of them; but your pets are in the network, and so is your primary lab assistant: Cherry,”
“What do you mean my pets are in? There mine, not hers!” Mark heatedly said.
Heather looked around, “There's a booth, over there. Let's go talk about this over there.”
Mark was steaming but he followed Heather over to the booth and sat down.
Mark placed his slices of pizza down, and slid into place in the booth while Heather sat herself down and switched on the privacy mode from the booth's control panel.
“Look, Mark, Lisa has spent a lot of money on you; yet, she has not altered you in any way. So, she needs other ways to protected her property, and investment.”
“But they're mine, not hers!”
“They are about to find you, no matter what, Mark. Unlike me, or any of the others, she cannot directly track you or communicate with you. If someone was to realize this, and snatched you, your two pets are her only way of locating you.” Heather said as she picked through her salad.
Mark stared at his food, and didn’t feel hungry anymore. He started to push the tray away but Heather placed her hand on it and pushed it back.
“You need to eat,”
Mark sat back and crossed his arms in refusal.
“Look, I know you're mad; but it's done, and you can not change that fact. Now eat, so we can go check out the labs.”
* * * *
Four months passed, and Mark was bored; not just bored, but Really Bored! The AI project was well ahead of track, the fix task tended to be hard, but he solved them. He wasn't feeling challenged and was getting sick of always seeing the same walls. There was two settlements close by the base, but he wasn't allowed out of his wing. It was driving him crazy.
His request for access to a slip-grav driver was denied. Ozland's response said he had no need for access to a weapons system. Mark started swearing up and down, again.
“She didn’t even read the fucking request!” Mark screamed as he tossed his tablet through a display screen causing it to explode in a blast of sparks.
Mark stomped out of the lab, as the techs started cleaning up his mess.
Mark had seen the slip-grav driver in lab four, two weeks earlier. He'd had an idea, but he needed to know how the 'slip' was created. There was nothing in his database about it, and his fifteen requests had all been denied. Well no security door was going to keep him from learning what he needed to know.
Mark slipped into an access corridor, and down to a maintenance shaft that ran between the labs. He found the security panel to lab four. In manual mode, Mark broke the encryption. He entered his access codes, allowing him full access to lab four.
It would have been perfect, except that Mark didn’t know about lab four's exclusive security AI. Lab four was a weapons lab, and had more then just the standard security safeties. When Mark hacked into the lab, the AI recorded what was happening, and what Mark did. To the AI's surprise, though, it couldn't lock Mark out! Mark had hardwired his access into the system.