Kate Returns Home Ch. 15

"Quite a few noncoms and officers have put in for them," Kathryn answered. "I think it's quite responsive in this Women's Republic to try to make life better for the women in the Service, don't you?"

"Absolutely," Kate replied. "I'm wearing them as we speak, and they are wonderfully comfortable. But I better stop before I sound like a commercial."

* * *

Nicole remembered to contact Eleanor to take her up on that offer of lunch. When she sent Eleanor an e-mail, Eleanor responded within the hour and asked her if later that week--say, Thursday or Friday, would work.

When Nicole sent back her note saying that she would like Thursday, Eleanor responded that she had made a reservation at the exclusive women's club to which she belonged, courtesy of Janet. So, Nicole made sure her uniform was clean and crisp when she went to meet Eleanor for lunch.

When she arrived, the hostess escorted her to Eleanor's regular table. Eleanor was already seated but she rose and gave Nicole a kiss on her lips. Nicole then sat down, as did Eleanor, and after they ordered, Eleanor asked Nicole how she had found the Goose Cookers disciplinary program.

"It seems very competently run," Nicole said. "They know what they're doing. I believe Janet has managed to institute a system I would normally think would be very hard to launch in the private sector."

"You're right," Eleanor replied. "She has fantastic capability to discern what is needed and what will work. I haven't used it for our people here because it makes little sense to have them travel all the way down there for a one-hour session. I have experience with disciplining myself--as both giver and recipient--so I handle it in this office when necessary."

She asked Nicole about her career in the Service thus far. "I've become more interested not just I'm married to Annette," Eleanor said, "but because it increases my ability to conceptualize new methods for the Service, just as I stay in touch with the disciplinary office. Who did you speak to there?

"I was given an intro by Roberta," Nicole answered, "and then shown the techniques and stuff by Nina."

"They're the best people there," Eleanor said, "so you got the straight stuff."

She then asked Nicole how she liked the Disciplinary and Retraining Unit as compared to being out in the camps.

Nicole grinned and said she liked being in the capital. She added that she had no attachments, marital or otherwise. Then she told Eleanor that she had had a few bumps in her progress.

"I got into trouble a few times but did have the reputation as the toughest barracks sergeant at the toughest camp," she said with a touch of pride.

"Did you beat somebody up more than you should have?" Eleanor asked her.

"Naw," Nicole said very confidently, "I was a bad girl. I fooled around with men I shouldn't have. One was at the camp and the other was here when I was first at the unit. They sent me back to the unit after that, although what I did was in service of the Service. I turned around a guy who they wanted to be able to release but were afraid he would screw up and give the Service a black eye. I'm telling you this in the hope that you won't rat me out. But you deserve to know my real story."

"I'm actually very impressed," Eleanor smiled. "People still think, well, some do, that I was a bad girl. I got caught having it off with a supposedly married man," she said. "I have a feeling someone's told you my story," she added, looking at Nicole for her response.

"Yes," Nicole answered. "Your story has gotten around."

"Well, it was in the papers at the time," Eleanor said, "because I was convicted of adultery with this guy and I was very severely punished, as I'm sure you've heard."

"I have," Nicole said.

"Well, did you also hear that I was cleared--long after I was so awfully punished--because it turned out he wasn't married after all."

"That's terrible," Nicole said with sincere sympathy.

"It was," Eleanor replied, "and I was treated as a pariah by the right-thinking women in this town and the Republic. But it turned out all right. I was rescued by a genuinely nice man, whom I married, and we moved to the second city where I caught on at Goose Cookers. My corrections officer had been Annette, now the Chief of Staff but then she was the head Corrections honcho at the Supreme Court. She was so nice to me--she couldn't prevent my punishment, which was akin to torture--but she did whatever she could for me, and we fell in love. So eventually when I came back here, my husband and I drifted apart and we were divorced, and I had been engaged to Annette for some time before I came here, and we were married. Sorry for the long story, but I wasn't sure you'd heard it all."

"I hadn't," Nicole admitted. "I should tell you something else. The guy I got it on with at the camp where I was his barracks sergeant was none other than Major Kate's husband. And I knew that and did it anyway. It just happened. I hope that doesn't frost you."

"I really like Kate," Eleanor told her, "and I just met her husband the other day because he's representing us in a case. But I won't hold that against you. I don't cast stones on what people do in the bedroom, or any other room for that matter." She grinned.

"I'm glad," Nicole said, "and that relieves me. I never thought she would forgive me, having sent me back to Hergolia with my tail between my legs. But the major is a good sort, which I'm sure you already know. She did forgive me, and she's been very good to me. So, I'm now sorry I did that in a moment of craziness."

"You sound like I was, heedless of consequences," Eleanor said in sympathy.

"That's right," Nicole replied. "I'm glad I've met you. I also was punished severely, maybe not as grimly as you were, but awfully. They put me in the toilet box twice. Do you know what that is?"

"I sort of have the idea," Eleanor smiled. "I shouldn't smile, it's not a very nice thing to have to endure."

"It's not," Nicole explained. "They put you in this box stripped, blindfolded, and on your back, usually for two hours. Then all the cadre who need to use the toilet come and sit on one of the seats in the top of the box and do their business on you. They take you into the shower afterward."

"Yikes," Eleanor said, "that's almost as bad as what happened to me, except that my punishment lasted for a year. Plus, everyone knew about it, and I was a pariah who had messed up a marriage, except that they weren't married. When that came out, I was officially cleared, everything expunged, except what they had done to me. The torture stuff had been removed but they couldn't restore my reputation. So, I'm grateful to Janet, who has stood by me totally, and I guess Kate has been good that way to you."

"It's too bad that those judges did that to you and got away with it," Nicole observed.

"I'm going to tell you something hardly anyone, I mean anyone, knows about that," Eleanor said, lowering her voice even though her table was shielded. "Janet was able to do something about it."

She grinned as did Nicole. "Janet was able to get the justices to submit to being corrected. They knew Annette, so she was entrusted with caning them. Yes, they were caned in front of me and Janet. But you can't talk about this or there'll be big trouble for me."

"That's amazing," Nicole exclaimed, but quietly. "I should mention that I heard how your disciplinary office put Janet through the mill."

"How did you hear about that?" Eleanor asked sharply.

"Don't get upset," Nicole said, "Janet told me."

"It figures," Eleanor replied, "she's so incredible. I hadn't seen anyone as humiliated except the way I was and you in that awful box two times."

"I hope you won't be offended by my asking because we've gotten into so much here," Nicole said, "but did it really feel bad when they did that to you?"

"Yes," Eleanor answered, "it was bad mostly for the shame I felt. I shouldn't have because he was the cad, isn't that a great word?" Nicole nodded her agreement.

"But more than that, it's not too cool having several little metal rings put into your labia to close them up except for a small hole through which you can pee and menstruate. You can't fuck and you can't use tampons," Eleanor declared.

"Wow," Nicole said, "and they don't do that anymore, do they?"

"No," Eleanor told her, "because Janet engineered a law that ended it. I told you she's incredible."

"I'm amazed by it all, Eleanor," Nicole said with admiration. "You're really cool, and it's so great that you managed to put your life back together."

"I like you," Eleanor told her. "Do you mind if I ever talk to Kate about you?"

"Naw," Nicole said. "You can talk about me. If you aren't violating her confidence, I'd like to know how she feels about me, but that may be asking more than I should."

"No," it's ok." Eleanor said, "if she says it's ok, I will. I told you that I like you. Can I ask if you're bi?"

"You can and I am," Nicole said with a smile. "If you're so inclined, we have rooms upstairs we can retire to have some coffee now."

Nicole got her drift and nodded that she was so inclined."

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