Lottery
Chapter 11
By Mark J. Silva Jr
“You will get in that dress, and accompany me to dinner, young man,” Di said for the third time in an hour.
Di just couldn't believe how defiant Mark could be. But Mark had, basically, locked himself in his room since she'd told him yesterday of the dinner and dance they were attending. Yes, she knew Mark hadn't had a good experience at his last dance, but this was one where he was to be her escort, not to be put up on a block and sold off for the night.
“Mistress,” Tina said as she stepped back into the hallway.
Di couldn't help but to smile at Tina. Tina was so happy and up beat.“Yes, Tina?”
“Mark will be ready shortly, but he needs some make up and leggings, Mistress,” Tina said with her brightest smile.
Di took the note Tina was holding, and looked it over. Wordlessly she sent the list to Christy (via her Lambda wetware) and asked Christy to pick the items up on her way over.
“What changed his mind?”
Tina smiled, “It's been three weeks, Mistress. I was hoping we could surprise Mark with Penny at the dance, so I told him I wanted to dance.”
Di couldn't help but laugh. Tina had been working hard to learn what Mark might look for in a new pet. Because Mark gave her lots of freedom of thought, she was able to work with Di, and spoke her mind freely to him.
Di looked at Tina as she stood there smiling, and a thought came to mind, “I know you're 'fixed' to always be happy as a pet; but can you tell me, honestly, what you think if being one?”
“Mistress, I never wanted to be one; but since I have become one, Mark has treated me like a princess. He always telling me how pretty I am, and I can say that behind all this wetware, I am standing here truly happy. I just hope Penny is as happy,”
Di touched the top of Tina's head. Mark had limited her height to about four feet. Her ears topped off her height at five foot. She was small and lightweight, weighing in at sixty-five pounds.
“You get back to Mark, now. Remember, not a word to him about Penny.”
Dinner was good, and the music was mostly slow. Mark had danced with Di a few times and had been traded off to Christy. When the music finished, Christy brought Mark back to the table. He noticed a small wolfgirl sitting with Tina. They were talking quickly, and the wolfgirl kept looking over at Mark with the most excited look in her eyes.
Christy pulled out a seat, and held it for Mark. Tina was almost non-stop giggles, and the wolfgirl looked like she was about to burst.
“Mark,” Di said getting his attention back on her.
“Yes, Di?”
“Lisa was worried when you lost Vicky. She knew you depended on both of your girls for a lot of things. So she decided to give you this young wolf. Penny, as you may remember, isn't the brightest; but she is loyal, and ready to help.”
Mark's head was suddenly on a pivot. He was going back and forth. He was looking at Di in surprise, and then at Penny, who suddenly seemed to become shy.
Suddenly, her ears rotated to some commotion on the other side of the dance floor, and she snarled. Her instinct to protect was deeply ingrained, over riding every other instinct. Her low snarl became a throaty growl, but she stayed in her seat.
The fight broke out between the two ladies over who knows what; but a wall of obviously out of uniform Marines encircled everyone at Mark's table, making a clear wall between them and the fight.
When Mark turned his attention back to the wolfgirl, he suddenly had her in his lap, and was getting sloppy kisses.
“Whoa, easy,” Mark said between kisses.
“Penny, right?” Mark asked her.
Penny sat back in Mark's lap and gave him the silliest smile he'd ever seen. Mark looked into her eyes. He could see the processing flash in her eyes.
“Penny, do you understand what has happened?”
“Yes. Momma explained everything, very carefully. I have become a wolfiegirl for you, and will always be cared for and loved by you,” Penny answered confidently.
Mark looked at Di and mouthed 'Marines?'
Di smiled, “You didn't think Lisa would leave you without some protection, did you?”
“I didn't need a new pet, though,” Mark said as Penny got up and sat back with Tina.
“My dear boy, we could see how lost you were at times. I watched you just last week giving Tina something to do, then you turned to give someone something else to do, and you were lost. All of us see that you can't adjust to having just Tina, alone, to handle the tasks you have. Penny can never replace Vicky, but she can ease your unsettled nerves. In time, you will be back on track, fully.”
“I'm so bored at home,” Mark said out of the blue, “When will Lisa be getting back?”
“How about a dance,” someone said from behind Mark, and he froze as his eyes widened.
Then a hand touched his shoulder, and Mark panicked. Di came around the table, and pulled Mark close while Christy grabbed the woman, and shoved her back and away.
“Who the hell are you?”
“Sorry. I should have guessed he'd freak out. I'm Robin Ozland, Mark worked in one of my labs a long time ago.”
Christy kept Robin back.
“Christy, let her join us. Mark can sit with me, while she takes his seat,” Di said.
“Missus Bradly, it has been a long time,” Robin said as she sat down.
Christy brought over another seat for Mark, and he sat between her and Di.
“It really has been, for some of us; but for a few, it has only been months since a certain whipping happened,” answered Di as she picked up her drink.
Robin looked at Mark. It was hard to believe almost twenty five years had passed. “I know, trust me I so well know,” Robin looked back at Di, “What he doesn't know, is how much that lapse in judgment cost me.”
Tina passed Mark a goblet of wine, and as her paw left the glass she let her claws extend fully. Robin couldn't help but to notice just how long and sharp they looked. She understood the silent warning.
“Robin, I know what happened, but maybe you should tell Mark about the following weeks, after he was placed in stasis,” Di suggested as she watched Mark sip his wine.
Robin closed her eyes, and her mind slipped back to that fateful day.
“Three days after Mark was in stasis, and Lisa received the hold on transporting him, she decided it was time to clean house. Because of my errors in judgment (not just in his punishment, but with other matters, also) I was relieved from duty. Being relieved from a ONI post isn't just a simple reassignment. I was stripped of rank, and drummed out of the Navy. I then found that finding work was almost impossible. I finally ended up on a Merchant Marine ship,” Robin had gotten very quiet for a minute, “If I had only known, beforehand,” she said.
“The ship I joined up with was a Hestor supporter." Robin almost broke down crying, “When they learned I was ex-Federation Navy, they raped and beat me repeatedly for sixteen months, while they ran weapons for the Hestor Rebellion.”
“What happened to Brent?” Mark asked meekly.
Robin eyes were tearing up. “After the dance, Brent brought out his contract, and left me. He was very angry over everything that had happened to you. I lost everything. It took me a good fifteen years, just for me to get back on my feet. Even now, I barely make ends meet, working as a ship loader at the Shasta shipyards.”
Robin picked up a napkin, and wiped her tears away. “Mark, I am so sorry. My temper ruined my life in so many ways. I should have realized that for you it was only like, six months.”
Robin got up, and started to walk away when she heard Mark say, “Hey, I thought you wanted to dance?”
Robin turned and found Mark standing there. As he batted his eyes, she couldn't help but smile.
'Oh, how I have missed how he used to brighten up a whole room with those blue eyes of his,' she thought.
* * * *
Mark stepped out into his yard, and was surprised. The sky, or what he thought was an open top, was really an invisible roof. It now held up an unknown amount of snow. His yard was actually a fully enclosed space. Mark picked up a small rock, and tossed it at the now visible ceiling. He heard a solid thunk. It was solid, all right, and sounded really thick.
“I was wondering how long 'till you realized it was an enclosed space,” said Christy from the slider.
Mark turned and smiled at her, “Well, I think the snow on top of it is a big giveaway. I guess I live in a gilded cage, after all.”
Tina walked past Christy, and brought Mark a tablet.
“No, you don't. This space is a common feature, really. It's called an 'all season' yard. We get some pretty wild weather here, and winters can be really rough. So this room is the same as Mistress Di's room. Her yard shares the left wall with yours,” Christy explained with a wave of her left hand.
Mark looked back up at the snow, “So I'm guessing it's not seventy five degrees, outside?”
Christy laughed, “Oh, no! It's far from that. I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the commons, today?”
Mark felt a shiver run down his back thinking of walking in the cold snow and he couldn't stop them. After a few minutes of silence Christy asked, “Are you okay?”
It was over powering: the memory of hitting the snow, and slowly starting to freeze to death. Mark couldn't respond.
Christy placed her hand on Mark's shoulder and was surprised to find he was shivering. The room was in the mid seventies, and Mark was acting like he was naked in the snow. His body was shivering, and she could now see a tinge of blue on his lips.
The bed room door opened, and someone walked in.
“He's in shock,” Lisa said.
Christy turned to find Lisa standing there, “From what? We were only talking.”
Lisa looked over to Penny as she lay curled up on the foot of the bed.
“Get him the blanket, Penny. Tina, dear, bring Mark inside.”
Penny got up, stripped off the blanket, and met Tina a few feet from the bed. They wrapped Mark up, and put him on it.
“Christy, you have to remember that he almost froze to death once. Let's get him comfortable, and keep him away from the snow, for now,” Lisa said as she hugged Mark close, “There nothing to worry about, blue eyes. No one going to leave you in the snow ever again.”
Mark looked up and gave Lisa a weak smile.
“I missssed you, Madam.”
It took a few minute for the shock to fade, and for Mark to regain control of himself.
“Christy, I know your good at your job, but I think you need to take a few lessons in PTSD treatment. How about I take Mark off your hands for the day, and you look into a few classes on the subject?” Lisa said.
Mark got up and gave Tina the blanket.
“Of course, Lisa. Mark, you have a great day,” Christy smiled as she left the room.
She was great as a body guard, but Lisa was right. She had no training or clue about PTSD, or how it would affect someone.
Mark turned to face Lisa, and smiled.
“Lisa, when you leave next time, can I please come with you? It's so boring, here.”
Lisa sat on the bed, “Well, Mark, the fact is I am not returning to duty. I have officially retired. Now I plan on spending a lot of time, spoiling you.”
Mark wasn't to sure how to take the news. Yes, this would mean Lisa would be around all the time, but it also meant he would still be stuck here, and bored out of his mind. There was a way out of the boredom, but it would mean spending a good chunk of his personal savings.
“I think I need to buy my contract out,”
Lisa froze. There were a lot of things she had expected, but this was nowhere close to any of them.
“Why would you want to do that?”
Mark was nervous. It was the law. Any owned person, able to buy their contracts out, was allowed to do so. Lisa couldn't say 'no' as long as he paid fair market value for himself.
“Madam, I can't keep being so bored. It's driving me crazy. I need to do something more then eat, sleep and shop.”
Lisa relaxed a bit. She knew how bad boredom could be.
“Mark, I do not think you would be safe as a free RNC. There will always be others who will try their best to force you into a contract you don't want; or worse, into full outright slavery, with wetware. Here, you are safe from anyone forcing you to do anything you do not agree to, freely.”
Mark stood there, silently. He knew she was only speaking the truth and some of his fears.
“But, I'm so bored!”
Lisa walked over to Mark, “I understand, dear. Will you give me a chance to find something, something fitting for you to do?”
Mark knew that as a free RNC he would be persuaded until someone else had him under their thumb. Most wouldn't care that he was smart. They'd want him for his looks, and for standing at stud. It was even possible that someone would have him mind wiped, and put him in a brothel.
“How long?”
“I have a few ideas, and many friends. We might have what you need. It shouldn't take long to find something you will enjoy doing, besides keeping an old lady company.”
Lisa hovered over Mark, looked down into his eyes, and touched his cheek.
“Freedom sounds good, but even you know what would happen once people learned of a blue eyed male running around free!”
Mark knew, fully well. It had almost happened to him when he had been just fourteen years old.
Di just couldn't believe how defiant Mark could be. But Mark had, basically, locked himself in his room since she'd told him yesterday of the dinner and dance they were attending. Yes, she knew Mark hadn't had a good experience at his last dance, but this was one where he was to be her escort, not to be put up on a block and sold off for the night.
“Mistress,” Tina said as she stepped back into the hallway.
Di couldn't help but to smile at Tina. Tina was so happy and up beat.“Yes, Tina?”
“Mark will be ready shortly, but he needs some make up and leggings, Mistress,” Tina said with her brightest smile.
Di took the note Tina was holding, and looked it over. Wordlessly she sent the list to Christy (via her Lambda wetware) and asked Christy to pick the items up on her way over.
“What changed his mind?”
Tina smiled, “It's been three weeks, Mistress. I was hoping we could surprise Mark with Penny at the dance, so I told him I wanted to dance.”
Di couldn't help but laugh. Tina had been working hard to learn what Mark might look for in a new pet. Because Mark gave her lots of freedom of thought, she was able to work with Di, and spoke her mind freely to him.
Di looked at Tina as she stood there smiling, and a thought came to mind, “I know you're 'fixed' to always be happy as a pet; but can you tell me, honestly, what you think if being one?”
“Mistress, I never wanted to be one; but since I have become one, Mark has treated me like a princess. He always telling me how pretty I am, and I can say that behind all this wetware, I am standing here truly happy. I just hope Penny is as happy,”
Di touched the top of Tina's head. Mark had limited her height to about four feet. Her ears topped off her height at five foot. She was small and lightweight, weighing in at sixty-five pounds.
“You get back to Mark, now. Remember, not a word to him about Penny.”
Dinner was good, and the music was mostly slow. Mark had danced with Di a few times and had been traded off to Christy. When the music finished, Christy brought Mark back to the table. He noticed a small wolfgirl sitting with Tina. They were talking quickly, and the wolfgirl kept looking over at Mark with the most excited look in her eyes.
Christy pulled out a seat, and held it for Mark. Tina was almost non-stop giggles, and the wolfgirl looked like she was about to burst.
“Mark,” Di said getting his attention back on her.
“Yes, Di?”
“Lisa was worried when you lost Vicky. She knew you depended on both of your girls for a lot of things. So she decided to give you this young wolf. Penny, as you may remember, isn't the brightest; but she is loyal, and ready to help.”
Mark's head was suddenly on a pivot. He was going back and forth. He was looking at Di in surprise, and then at Penny, who suddenly seemed to become shy.
Suddenly, her ears rotated to some commotion on the other side of the dance floor, and she snarled. Her instinct to protect was deeply ingrained, over riding every other instinct. Her low snarl became a throaty growl, but she stayed in her seat.
The fight broke out between the two ladies over who knows what; but a wall of obviously out of uniform Marines encircled everyone at Mark's table, making a clear wall between them and the fight.
When Mark turned his attention back to the wolfgirl, he suddenly had her in his lap, and was getting sloppy kisses.
“Whoa, easy,” Mark said between kisses.
“Penny, right?” Mark asked her.
Penny sat back in Mark's lap and gave him the silliest smile he'd ever seen. Mark looked into her eyes. He could see the processing flash in her eyes.
“Penny, do you understand what has happened?”
“Yes. Momma explained everything, very carefully. I have become a wolfiegirl for you, and will always be cared for and loved by you,” Penny answered confidently.
Mark looked at Di and mouthed 'Marines?'
Di smiled, “You didn't think Lisa would leave you without some protection, did you?”
“I didn't need a new pet, though,” Mark said as Penny got up and sat back with Tina.
“My dear boy, we could see how lost you were at times. I watched you just last week giving Tina something to do, then you turned to give someone something else to do, and you were lost. All of us see that you can't adjust to having just Tina, alone, to handle the tasks you have. Penny can never replace Vicky, but she can ease your unsettled nerves. In time, you will be back on track, fully.”
“I'm so bored at home,” Mark said out of the blue, “When will Lisa be getting back?”
“How about a dance,” someone said from behind Mark, and he froze as his eyes widened.
Then a hand touched his shoulder, and Mark panicked. Di came around the table, and pulled Mark close while Christy grabbed the woman, and shoved her back and away.
“Who the hell are you?”
“Sorry. I should have guessed he'd freak out. I'm Robin Ozland, Mark worked in one of my labs a long time ago.”
Christy kept Robin back.
“Christy, let her join us. Mark can sit with me, while she takes his seat,” Di said.
“Missus Bradly, it has been a long time,” Robin said as she sat down.
Christy brought over another seat for Mark, and he sat between her and Di.
“It really has been, for some of us; but for a few, it has only been months since a certain whipping happened,” answered Di as she picked up her drink.
Robin looked at Mark. It was hard to believe almost twenty five years had passed. “I know, trust me I so well know,” Robin looked back at Di, “What he doesn't know, is how much that lapse in judgment cost me.”
Tina passed Mark a goblet of wine, and as her paw left the glass she let her claws extend fully. Robin couldn't help but to notice just how long and sharp they looked. She understood the silent warning.
“Robin, I know what happened, but maybe you should tell Mark about the following weeks, after he was placed in stasis,” Di suggested as she watched Mark sip his wine.
Robin closed her eyes, and her mind slipped back to that fateful day.
“Three days after Mark was in stasis, and Lisa received the hold on transporting him, she decided it was time to clean house. Because of my errors in judgment (not just in his punishment, but with other matters, also) I was relieved from duty. Being relieved from a ONI post isn't just a simple reassignment. I was stripped of rank, and drummed out of the Navy. I then found that finding work was almost impossible. I finally ended up on a Merchant Marine ship,” Robin had gotten very quiet for a minute, “If I had only known, beforehand,” she said.
“The ship I joined up with was a Hestor supporter." Robin almost broke down crying, “When they learned I was ex-Federation Navy, they raped and beat me repeatedly for sixteen months, while they ran weapons for the Hestor Rebellion.”
“What happened to Brent?” Mark asked meekly.
Robin eyes were tearing up. “After the dance, Brent brought out his contract, and left me. He was very angry over everything that had happened to you. I lost everything. It took me a good fifteen years, just for me to get back on my feet. Even now, I barely make ends meet, working as a ship loader at the Shasta shipyards.”
Robin picked up a napkin, and wiped her tears away. “Mark, I am so sorry. My temper ruined my life in so many ways. I should have realized that for you it was only like, six months.”
Robin got up, and started to walk away when she heard Mark say, “Hey, I thought you wanted to dance?”
Robin turned and found Mark standing there. As he batted his eyes, she couldn't help but smile.
'Oh, how I have missed how he used to brighten up a whole room with those blue eyes of his,' she thought.
* * * *
Mark stepped out into his yard, and was surprised. The sky, or what he thought was an open top, was really an invisible roof. It now held up an unknown amount of snow. His yard was actually a fully enclosed space. Mark picked up a small rock, and tossed it at the now visible ceiling. He heard a solid thunk. It was solid, all right, and sounded really thick.
“I was wondering how long 'till you realized it was an enclosed space,” said Christy from the slider.
Mark turned and smiled at her, “Well, I think the snow on top of it is a big giveaway. I guess I live in a gilded cage, after all.”
Tina walked past Christy, and brought Mark a tablet.
“No, you don't. This space is a common feature, really. It's called an 'all season' yard. We get some pretty wild weather here, and winters can be really rough. So this room is the same as Mistress Di's room. Her yard shares the left wall with yours,” Christy explained with a wave of her left hand.
Mark looked back up at the snow, “So I'm guessing it's not seventy five degrees, outside?”
Christy laughed, “Oh, no! It's far from that. I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the commons, today?”
Mark felt a shiver run down his back thinking of walking in the cold snow and he couldn't stop them. After a few minutes of silence Christy asked, “Are you okay?”
It was over powering: the memory of hitting the snow, and slowly starting to freeze to death. Mark couldn't respond.
Christy placed her hand on Mark's shoulder and was surprised to find he was shivering. The room was in the mid seventies, and Mark was acting like he was naked in the snow. His body was shivering, and she could now see a tinge of blue on his lips.
The bed room door opened, and someone walked in.
“He's in shock,” Lisa said.
Christy turned to find Lisa standing there, “From what? We were only talking.”
Lisa looked over to Penny as she lay curled up on the foot of the bed.
“Get him the blanket, Penny. Tina, dear, bring Mark inside.”
Penny got up, stripped off the blanket, and met Tina a few feet from the bed. They wrapped Mark up, and put him on it.
“Christy, you have to remember that he almost froze to death once. Let's get him comfortable, and keep him away from the snow, for now,” Lisa said as she hugged Mark close, “There nothing to worry about, blue eyes. No one going to leave you in the snow ever again.”
Mark looked up and gave Lisa a weak smile.
“I missssed you, Madam.”
It took a few minute for the shock to fade, and for Mark to regain control of himself.
“Christy, I know your good at your job, but I think you need to take a few lessons in PTSD treatment. How about I take Mark off your hands for the day, and you look into a few classes on the subject?” Lisa said.
Mark got up and gave Tina the blanket.
“Of course, Lisa. Mark, you have a great day,” Christy smiled as she left the room.
She was great as a body guard, but Lisa was right. She had no training or clue about PTSD, or how it would affect someone.
Mark turned to face Lisa, and smiled.
“Lisa, when you leave next time, can I please come with you? It's so boring, here.”
Lisa sat on the bed, “Well, Mark, the fact is I am not returning to duty. I have officially retired. Now I plan on spending a lot of time, spoiling you.”
Mark wasn't to sure how to take the news. Yes, this would mean Lisa would be around all the time, but it also meant he would still be stuck here, and bored out of his mind. There was a way out of the boredom, but it would mean spending a good chunk of his personal savings.
“I think I need to buy my contract out,”
Lisa froze. There were a lot of things she had expected, but this was nowhere close to any of them.
“Why would you want to do that?”
Mark was nervous. It was the law. Any owned person, able to buy their contracts out, was allowed to do so. Lisa couldn't say 'no' as long as he paid fair market value for himself.
“Madam, I can't keep being so bored. It's driving me crazy. I need to do something more then eat, sleep and shop.”
Lisa relaxed a bit. She knew how bad boredom could be.
“Mark, I do not think you would be safe as a free RNC. There will always be others who will try their best to force you into a contract you don't want; or worse, into full outright slavery, with wetware. Here, you are safe from anyone forcing you to do anything you do not agree to, freely.”
Mark stood there, silently. He knew she was only speaking the truth and some of his fears.
“But, I'm so bored!”
Lisa walked over to Mark, “I understand, dear. Will you give me a chance to find something, something fitting for you to do?”
Mark knew that as a free RNC he would be persuaded until someone else had him under their thumb. Most wouldn't care that he was smart. They'd want him for his looks, and for standing at stud. It was even possible that someone would have him mind wiped, and put him in a brothel.
“How long?”
“I have a few ideas, and many friends. We might have what you need. It shouldn't take long to find something you will enjoy doing, besides keeping an old lady company.”
Lisa hovered over Mark, looked down into his eyes, and touched his cheek.
“Freedom sounds good, but even you know what would happen once people learned of a blue eyed male running around free!”
Mark knew, fully well. It had almost happened to him when he had been just fourteen years old.