Statute Two

What I would ask is that we look at this issue from a completely different perspective. I have read in its entirety, Mr. Samuels words, which have brought him before this council. His case worker, while I do not approve of his methods, and I are in agreement. His total lack of respect for the female of the species is both disturbing and repulsive. He has been kept in a medically induced state to insure his words were not spread or for him to act on his impulses."

Once again I had worded this carefully, but any rational human being after having read those files would have seen that he almost made women a deity, held in a higher status than their male counterparts. Statute Two violators' works were almost always classified, and I believed I was the only one to have actually read the contents which I had already deleted from my files. I could almost feel the tension in the man's body as he stood beside me, but I still hoped he was under the influence of the many drugs he had been forced to endure for if he were to speak prior to my conclusion, then all would be lost...for both of us.

I took a step toward the dais, keeping my eyes on the two women, as my voice became a bit more impassioned. "If we put this individual to death, we set no example to the populace when it comes to such matters. It will be done quietly, clinically and will not make a single ripple in the fabric of society. Even if we reeducate, as is suggested, then we make yet another factory drone, one who can provide us with absolutely no insight into why an individual would question the state. All of his thoughts and memories erased, leaving us with nothing to show for this."

This was the moment, this was the time, as I turned my back, letting my eyes look directly into the man's whose life hung by a thread. "I would ask the council, I would fervently request that this individual be shown not only the error of his ways but also be used to educate others by being not only reeducated by a process which I will personally oversee, but also by being instructed to undergo completely the SRS program which was perfected at the turn of the last century. By utilizing Sexual Reassignment Surgery, a process that used to take years but now can be accomplished in minutes, he will then live the remainder of his life as a woman, the same object of his own scorn and we can show the world that with such actions, there is a price to be paid. A very heavy price."

I had not forgotten the words of the so called 'physician', his one actual nugget of truth he had spoken, and as I looked into the still drug-induced haze that coated the prisoner's eyes I saw a spark. It lasted only for a brief moment, dying as quickly as it had come, but I thought it was the signal that I needed. I turned, seeing the look on the three individuals' faces and determined to drive my final point home.

"The choice is clear. We have tried the old, now it is time to embrace the new. As we have evolved, so must our ways and this is the perfect opportunity to show the populace that we will not tolerate such actions by any individual. All have been granted the use of the cerebral stimulus, yet this man chose to discard such a remarkable gift to our society and tried to forge his own way. If we sweep the evidence under the rug, do not allow the general public to see, then we are as guilty as he is of trying to hide our actions. Let the people see what happens when they dare defy our most sacred law and how quickly their lives can change, not just for the bad, but for the betterment of society and the greater good."

I gave the three of them a nod as I turned away. Walking back to the table I passed the still motionless man, his eyes unwavering as I sat down, my heart racing knowing I had played my cards, and only now wondering if in doing so I had doomed not only the prisoner, but myself in the process. I could hear the rather heated whispers which were being passed between the trio of members, but I could not ascertain the meaning of their words. Like the man, I was now just as much a prisoner to their decision as he was. It seemed like an eternity but in reality was only a few minutes before I heard,

"Prosecutor M, you will rise and approach the bench."

I did so, trying to appear calm and measured in my steps though inside my pulse was pounding from my heart racing. I stopped, seeing the single male shaking his head, the two women; one looking at Samuels with complete disdain while the other looked at me, her mouth set in a straight line, her eyes filled with her own emotion, concerning the matter.

"First of all, I find it refreshing to see that you have obviously given this matter great thought and consideration. Far too many of those who come before this tribunal do so only going through the motions, not looking out for anyone, but their own career, not taking into consideration those they might condemn or grant a second chance to. Your methods, while very unorthodox, have struck a chord with this Council, at least with the majority."

I knew at that moment, based on the expression of the gentleman who, no doubt, had voted down my proposal that through the anger of the one and the possibility of breaking new ground by the other, I had won. What I didn't know was what precisely my prize would be. The woman who had spoken then turned her attention to the prisoner, her mouth again firmly set, her eyes coldly taking him in as she began to speak.

"Jonathan Samuels, you have been convicted by Prosecutor M. of being in violation of Statute Two. At her recommendation, you will immediately be taken to the state-funded Reeducation Center where you will undergo the processes as determined by the Prosecutor prior to the day coming to a close. You should be thankful that she has afforded you a unique chance to pay your debt to society and failure to comply with her wishes will result in your termination. She will be solely responsible for your actions and will be granted full power over you and your indoctrination back into society. Do not fail her or this court. We are adjourned."

I stood there, frozen to the spot, the enormity of the words which had been passed down suddenly hitting me. In my mind, I had justified my actions by thinking somehow I was repaying him for opening my eyes to more than the possibilities than the state-ordained cerebral stimuli package might present. Instead, I found myself with another human being whose life or death still rested in my hands only now to be complicated by the matter of the decisions that I would have to make.

Standing there, I watched as two officers of the court walked in, taking him by his arms though he offered no resistance, one of them saying, "We have a vehicle waiting Prosecutor, the Council's decision has already been sent to the Center, they are preparing for your arrival."

Nodding, I picked up my items, following behind them, my mind awhirl as they escorted him and me into the waiting armored transport. The vehicle glided over the surface and the trip took far less time than I hoped as I tried to figure out what I was going to do.

By the time we arrived, I was still unsure, and as we entered, the prisoner was first scanned then strapped down to a gurney as one of the two individuals, a rather non-descript woman who had helped tightened the restraints spoke.

"I'm Doctor H, please follow me Prosecutor so that we can make sure we understand your requirements when it comes to this individual. The Council has informed us your decisions are final, and we will do what is necessary to achieve your desired result."

Following her down a hallway, I saw the surgical suite, the man still strapped to the gurney as his clothing was being cut off. His head moved slightly, his eyes catching mine for a brief moment, a look of what I hoped was recognition only to come to an abrupt halt as a powerful sedative was administered and his eyes quickly closed.

I knew then they closed for the last time as Jonathan Samuels. We reached the area where the sterilization process took place, the light changing from white to blue as I heard the woman say, "You will be present during the procedure, Prosecutor, so that if there are any corrections which need to be made, we can do so immediately."

She then stepped into an adjacent suite, a bank of monitors, computer and the sight of the now motionless man awaiting us both. "I will need you to speak clearly; your words will be translated into directions for the computer to begin the process. You will need to describe everything, ever detail from the color of 'her' hair, to the shape of 'her' body, no change is too drastic, the computer will simply follow your guidance and will then create 'her' in that image. Once you have completed your thoughts, we will program the lasers that will be required and the total process should take only a few minutes for the physical changes."

As I stood there, my mind awhirl with the responsibilities that were being thrust upon me I heard her continue saying, "A bit more is required for the emotional and psychological needs 'she' will require to function in 'her' new world. I've seen ,based on her charts, that 'she' was kept under a heavy dosage of Thorazine and other drugs which have in all probability erased the majority of her memories and thought processes. I can do another complete mind sweep to insure this but I'm not sure that it is necessary. If you don't request it, then we will only implant 'her' new thought process and you can guide 'her' through any gaps, such as 'her' behavior and speech capabilities."

An idea played at the corner of my mind as I nodded and then began to speak clearly and succinctly. I closed my eyes, picturing her, her age in her late twenties, her body shape and size, her chestnut hair with auburn highlights and blue eyes. When I had finished, the Doctor turned to me with a set of blue safety glasses. I'd only put them in place when the computer came to life, the sound of the laser activating as a blinding light filled the room.

The woman's words proved to be prophetic as the man on the table only minutes later was no more, a woman, a young beautiful woman lay there now, strapped to the gurney as I heard a mechanical voice say, "Initiating subliminal messaging and reeducation programming."

With that, the doctor motioned for me to follow her and we stepped out of the room and into a clinical office, the walls, everything a brilliant white as the physician sat down behind the desk, motioning to the chair in front of her as I sat only to hear, "This case represents a huge shift in the handling of certain violators and I would request that you keep me advised of any abnormalities or shifts in the subject's physical and mental capabilities. We've never attempted both SRS and the reeducation process at the same time and this is new ground we are covering Prosecutor. One thing I neglected to ask and as it will need to be implanted in her psychosis, what name have you chosen for her?"

The question caught me off guard but a name came as easily to mind as my own, and I said, "Gabrielle, her name is Gabrielle."

The doctor nodded, speaking into her headset, giving the command as she began to pull out a series of forms which needed signing, including the one showing that the object known as Ms. G, was now the legal ward of the guardian, Prosecutor M.. For a moment I had to fight the urge to smile as I remembered one of the stories I had read, realizing that this very scenario was so similar.

It was only a short while later that the doctor and I found ourselves standing back in front of the surgical suite, this time seeing two nurses checking the vital signs on the young woman who sat there in one of the customary smocks, patiently waiting as they went about their tasks, her eyes turning to watch us as a shy smile crossed her face. As the two attendants left, I walked in with the doctor and listened as she began to exam the girl.

"What is your name?"

The voice was soft, barely above a whisper but in a lilting tone saying, "My name is, Gabrielle, Doctor H."

The woman nodded saying, "Do you know who this is, Gabrielle?" the physician asked as she gestured to me.

Once again she answered in the affirmative saying, "This is Prosecutor M., she is responsible for me and I am to follow her instructions. She is my protector and I am her ward."

The doctor nodded, her voice calmly saying, "And do you know who Jonathan Samuels is, Gabrielle?"

The chestnut-haired beauty's eyes showed no recognition, her head cocking to the side as she shook it before saying, "That name is not familiar to me, Doctor H. Should it be?"

The doctor smiled, shaking her head in reply saying, "No, Gabrielle, it should not. I will make sure your transit is ready and you will follow your protector home. I'm sure the two of you have a lot to discuss. I will expect you back here in one week's time Ms. G to insure you are operating at your complete capabilities."

The doctor left, leaving the two of us alone as I walked a bit closer, peering into the young woman's eyes, yet seeing no guile, almost a shyness as she lowered hers slightly under my gaze. Finally a guard came, leading us both to the awaiting transport, the trip made mostly in silence. I watched the blue-eyed woman glancing out the windows like a child might, looking through new eyes at the world around her until we found ourselves alone in my home.

As I walked in I suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed at what had transpired that day, unsure as the droid walked in to take my things. Before I could give them over, the young woman confidently stepped forth, her hand reaching up, keying in some kind of code, the mechanical creature coming to an abrupt halt. My eyes opened wide, my mouth opening to speak, to question only for her to put a finger to her lips. I stopped suddenly as she walked over and picked up a legal pad and marker. She wrote four simple words down, holding it up, her eyes almost pleading.

DO YOU TRUST ME?

The words were simple, the answer not nearly so much. As she stood there, holding up the sign, her blue eyes were steady, not lowered, matching my own gaze as finally I nodding my head slowly and her face relaxed. She put down the pad, reaching up behind her and once again my eyes opened wide as she let the smock she wore drop, pooling at her feet as she stepped out of it, naked before me, the person listed as her guardian, the equivalent of an owner, in direct violation of a time honored rule though she seemed to care not.

She reached up, taking her right breast, my eyes unable to stop looking at her as she carefully lifted it, and pressed what looked to be a small mole which glowed bright red, three times and then went dark. I stood there, once again frozen to the spot as she gave me that shy smile before doing the same to me. I stood naked before her, my eyes unable to understand, as I saw another mole, in the precise spot as it had been on her own body. I watched as it blinked thrice and then it stopped and finally she spoke.

"I know this is going to be difficult to understand, Prosecutor, and even more incredible to comprehend but you need to know the truth."

She took my hand, pulling me over to the couch, seemingly as comfortable naked as I was dressed and I sat stiffly, listening, trying to come to grips with what was actually transpiring.

"The drone monitors everything in your home, every movement you make, every program you watch, and every entry you make on your computer. There is no such thing as privacy, you are...you were being monitored every second of the day. By shutting it down, it has sent a message to central command, and you should expect a knock on the door in the next five minutes, we have very little time."

I reached down, grabbing my garment, pulling it over my head as she laughed saying, "Always the practical one. That is why I chose you." I stopped as she shook her head, and reached down to pick up her own as she continued, "First of all, I need to ask. How did you know? How did you come to the conclusion to have my 'punishment' fit the crime?"

I had to struggle to find my voice, mumbling how I had read the words of the author and how I felt it was precisely what he wanted. It was only then that it hit me, he knew, she knew. My eyes opened wide saying, "You, you do know Jonathan Samuels." She gave me a smile just as the knock came at the door, the authoritative voice saying there had been a report of a breakdown in the droid assigned to this domicile and she nodded at me, her voice barely a whisper, instructing me on how to handle the situation.

It was a short while later that the two men had left, unable to repair the unresponsive unit, but promising a replacement would be sent out the next day, that we found ourselves alone. I poured two glasses of wine for us but my hands trembled as my new charge sat across from me, regarding me with almost whimsical eyes as I sat down and requested the tale which followed.

"First of all, what I did to you was put your cerebral stimuli connection into a slumber mode. It still shows a signal showing you are on line to those who monitor the populace but you are free to speak and act as you desire at least until they return the new droid to continue with the monitoring of you, and of course, me. I knew how to disable it, and the droid as well because I created both of them." Once again my eyes opened wide as she smiled, taking a sip of the wine before continuing.

"I knew the moment I had finished my work that it was going to be used to control the population, to make them slaves to the program when it came to fulfilling their desires, their hopes, and their aspirations and since I was the creator, I also was responsible for what had happened. I had signed an agreement that I would never speak out against how my creations were used, but that was Jonathan Samuels, not a woman named Gabrielle."

As she took a final drink, her eyes again locked onto mine, her voice though soft was still filled with the passion I had heard when I had listened to the readings of the books which had started me on this strange journey. The voice was different, but my response, my body's response was the same.

"Prosecutor M., I know that you were aroused by the writings, the ones I made sure you would have to read prior to deciding on my case. They were aimed at a woman precisely like yourself, one who enjoys the power she holds, who wields it fairly, and then dispenses the, as you call it, judgment, while as I refer to it, punishment to the appropriate party. Either way, since you have never utilized the program I created, I'm going to show you the difference between fantasy...and reality."

She rose, taking my hand, leading me over to the cerebral stimuli chair, helping me disrobe again. I blushed to have my nakedness again on display, though I took pleasure in looking at her as she did the same before placing the device over my head.

I was biting my bottom lip, uncomfortable with feeling so unsure as she gave me a smile saying, "I will guide you, Prosecutor, every step, we will be joined in the simulation and together we will do so without the prying eyes of others, no one will see this, feel this, experience this except for the two of us, I promise. Now, all you need do is close your eyes."

As I did so it was like entering a dream, except at first all I could see were grid lines as I then felt the presence of another, my mind taken aback to see the man I had prosecuted walking toward me, a smile on his face as he said,

"I exist in the mainframe, Prosecutor; in here I can be either Jonathan Samuels or the girl, Gabrielle. I take this form because it was how you read of me, the story that intrigued you most involved me and a woman such as you. Do you remember it? Picture it in your mind."