Rod Adventures Ch. 22

Monday 18th January 1999, Portsmouth University Lecture Theatre AM

I watched as the new cohorts filed into the lecture theatre and took up their seats. Among them was Elizabeth who sat in the same seat that Michelle occupied back in October. The first slide is already on display showing the arresting title, 'World History - Sacrifice and Torture in the earliest of Mankind's Civilisations.' I like to see the reaction of the students and in particular the females. I have looked over all the students psychology profiles so already know more about their personalities and makeup than they are aware of.

Elizabeth is wearing a sleeveless white top and blue jeans. She is not wearing a bra. It is difficult not to 'see her' topless on her knees ready to suck cock as she did last Wednesday in the invincible pub 'upstairs' family room. I know Michelle wants to 'introduce her' to Room Zero and play with her sadistically after Simone 'initiates' her to pain and how to manage that sexually.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this first two hour lecture to look at some of World Histories earliest Civilisations and try and unearth the primal reason that mankind from it's earliest times has resorted to torture and sacrifice to achieve it's aims and goals."

"Now firstly before we start I need to cover off some admin and announcements. First for all of you there will be a 30 minute session booked on a one to one basis with me. The purpose is to help us both to leverage your skills and dare I say hidden talents to maximise the potential you will get for this particular Unit. It will be a significant component of your overall degree."

"As last year we have an open intern post working on recent research at the Portsmouth Museum. You will find application forms on the desk just by the door. I have also arranged a visit to the museum to show some of the exhibits and artefacts, manuscripts from the latest excavation work so add your name to the list if interested which you will also find on the desk."

The applications were going to be a formality, Elizabeth was going to be the new intern joining Michelle in the research not that she knew that yet. As the saying goes it's not what you know it's who you know.

"Okay let's examine our first ancient civilisation, that of ancient Egypt. Do we believe we know all about that particular civilisation?"

"Is the general consensus quite a bit?" There is a general chorus of agreement.

He puts up his first slide. It shows a picture of Min with the erect phallus.

"Who can tell me who this is?"

There are no answers.

"No one? It's Min the fertility god. He looks as if he knows how to keep the ladies happy." There is general laughter.

"Who knows who Khem is?"

Again there are no replies.

"What about Queen Clarissa?"

Again no replies.

"Well it seems you have come to the right lecture if your quest is to learn more about World History and the practices of some of history's most ancient civilisations. So lesson learned. There is so much we do not know. But it is vital to uncover the truth. Let's begin."

Following the end of the two hour lecture as the students leave I tap Elizabeth on the arm.

"Elizabeth can I have a quick chat?"

She pauses.

"Yes Professor King."

I wait and smile as the others leave with a few commenting the enjoyed it.

"Thank You."

"Yes, thank you."

Finally the last student left, some were looking at the table and taking an application form or signing up for the museum tour, some both.

I waited until I was sure I was not overheard.

"How did you enjoy the lecture Elizabeth."

"Oh very much Professor. Michelle has spoken about some of it so I did know some of it but didn't want to say."

"Very wise, not all students warm to those that seem to know it all. I wanted to let you know I want you as the new intern but have to be seen to follow the application process. With you working very closely with Michelle for the academia but also with upstairs activities it will be good to involve you closely in the research side.

Because I also want to support getting you close to being one of the top students here I am going to ask you to attend the advanced class I am running this afternoon with the third year students. Don't worry it is a playback and discussion session between the four groups. As I mentioned you would need to focus on a specific civilisation across the ancient ones that are studied but I will allocate you to the Egyptian group that of course Michelle joined in her first year. The research work for the intern is also in that same area so it fits nicely. It's important to have a clear focus."

"I don't know what to say Professor other than thank you. It would have been my choice anyway but with the research work it will help me learn better."

"Not just learn but practice my dear. For the intern there is a good element of practical. It involved experiencing what if felt like to be a captive sexual slave. I will very much enjoy exploring that side of it with you and Michelle both. Usefully as a side benefit it will get you more ready for the game which of course Michelle is not involved in. Sarah as you know will take that role."

"The anal sex specialist?"

"Yes the anal specialist. Mind you enjoying anal sex with you was also very enjoyable with you when I was sharing the DP with Mike with you."

"Yes Professor." Elizabeth swallows.

"I am sure there are some things that haven't quite turned out as they planned where with others there are unexpected things that may surprise or even please you. I expect it's been a little bit of both for you hasn't it?"

"Yes Professor, quite that."

"Well I was hoping to meet out over lunch with Michelle, Sophie and I think Sarah too. I would be pleased if you would care to join us."

"I'd be happy to Professor."

"I think Jennifer will be tied up. Not literally of course haha but Simone mentioned something. I will need you at the main entrance around 12:30pm so look out for me and any of the others. There are a couple of cafe's near the campus, cafe coco and the pitstop cafe but the girls will know better which one."

Monday 18th January 1999, Portsmouth Cafe Coco PM

"Well girls I hope you are all settling in to the new year. Of course Michelle and Sophie are now third years so hope their experience and guidance has been helpful."

"Thanks Professor King, yes for Elizabeth and I it has been a treat to be looked after by such knowledgable and kind students, together with the accommodation in the pub and the tuition fees for this our second term it has been great especially as we are both still only First Years as you say."

"Well we have been pleased to help you, haven't we Michelle. For me it's been great Sarah that our courses have been similar. Have you decided about taking a part time role in the pub, we could use the help."

"Yes Sarah indeed we could. In particular Michelle needs to focus on the intern work for our research, that's even with the help of Elizabeth as our second intern, that's of course if she accepts it."

"Of course I will Professor. I would be honoured too."

"That will be really great Elizabeth, especially as I need help with cataloguing all the documents and not just the ancient Egyptian area but across the other areas as well."

"It is what I mentioned to you Elizabeth, about this afternoon session with the third year group, I'd really like you to listen in. You don't have to contribute but I want you to be a 'known quantity' with that group, as I explained we have four groups of 6 students each each focusing on one Continent of ancient history so we have China, India sub continent, Ancient and Near East which of course includes Egypt and one of the focuses for our research and the Pre Columbia Americas. The thread of course is the element of the sacrificial sacrifice."

"How are things going with your boyfriend Sarah." Sophie asks.

"Not so good, it's been difficult. I think we just want different things. He is really not academic. I find that hard at times and he can be quite impatient about the time I need to spend, now being here in Portsmouth makes it much harder."

"I can sympathise, I had a boyfriend until fairly recently but he was a narcissist in reality so not good for me."

"Well yes I think the break is needed. Do you think I should talk to Veronica about the part time role working in the bar?"

"Definitely, with Michelle not going to be around so much and busy with the research and I guess Elizabeth too it will be nice to have you along side me in the bar. You and Elizabeth remind me of myself and Michelle, Doll and Legs as we call ourselves. I hope the two of you become the best of friends as we are."

It was good to see the girls getting on and so happy. There was serious stuff too with the University work and of course the game.

"Just before we head back ladies I wanted you know from tonight Simone will start to focus on your pain training. It's a difficult aspect of course but an important one. Not just for you two for the game but for others too." I looked at Michelle and gave her my secret smile reserved only for her.

"We has best get back. I will see Michelle and Elizabeth in this afternoon's session. Sophie and Sarah enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

"Thank you Professor King."

Monday 18th January 1999, Portsmouth University Lecture Theatre PM

"Okay this session is a playback from the four groups and trying to summarise and find the basic commonalities for the ancient civilisations practice of ritual human sacrifice. I have asked a new student Elizabeth who although a first year at the University has good background in particular with intuiting the relationships between different cultures. Elizabeth will just be an observer for this session. Can we put the first slide up please which covers China and have the group leader Mai Yin go through the findings and observations."

Elizabeth acknowledged silently the group of 24 students.

Next two of the other Continents, India sub continent and Pre Columbia Americas were displayed and discussed in turn. For each session there was discussion and debate within each group of 6 as to their findings. The last continent Ancient and Near East of which Michelle was the group leader was the last. The first slide went up and Michelle started the conversation.

"Starting with a general comment Human sacrifice was practised in many human societies beginning in prehistoric times. By the Iron Age (1st millennium BCE), with the associated developments in religion (the Axial Age)."

'Axial Age' is a term coined by German philosopher Karl Jaspers in the sense of a "pivotal age", characterising the period of ancient history from about the 8th to the 3rd century BCE.

During this period, new ways of thinking appeared in Persia, India, China and the Greco-Roman world in religion and philosophy, in a striking parallel development, without any obvious direct cultural contact between all of the participating Eurasian cultures.

Jaspers identified key thinkers from this age who had a profound influence on future philosophies and religions, and identified characteristics common to each area from which those thinkers emerged.

Jaspers' approach to the culture of the middle of the first millennium BCE has been adopted by other scholars and academics, and has become a point of discussion in the history of religion."

"I am aware of Jasper and this course in particular is trying to establish just that idea about the thinking in terms of human sacrifice and if the same basic human instinct or need was being met."

Michelle continued.

"At the time of the 'Axial Age' human sacrifice was becoming less common throughout the Old World, and came to be looked down upon as barbaric during classical antiquity. "In the New World, however, human sacrifice continued to be widespread to varying degrees until the European colonization of the Americas."

"The idea of human sacrifice has its roots in deep prehistory, in the evolution of human behaviour. From its historical occurrences it seems mostly associated with neolithic or nomadic cultures, on the emergent edge of civilisation."

"Human sacrifice has been practised on a number of different occasions and in many different cultures. The various rationales behind human sacrifice are the same that motivate religious sacrifice in general. Human sacrifice is intended to bring good fortune and to pacify the gods, for example in the context of the dedication of a completed building like a temple or bridge."

"In ancient Japan, legends talk about hitobashira ("human pillar"), in which maidens were buried alive at the base or near some constructions to protect the buildings against disasters or enemy attacks, and almost identical accounts appear in the Balkans (The Building of Skadar and Bridge of Arta)."

"For the re-consecration of the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan in 1487, the Aztecs reported that they killed about 80,400 prisoners over the course of four days. Human sacrifice can also have the intention of winning the gods' favour in warfare. In Homeric legend, Iphigeneia was to be sacrificed by her father Agamemnon to appease Artemis so she would allow the Greeks to wage the Trojan War."

"What is unusual in the research around the ruling period of Min under his head priest Khem is that there are various references to sacrifices that appear to be seven in number and then a long period of no record. What is also strange is the hieroglyphic for gem in each of the different parchment fragments."

King looked at Michelle with the immediate realisation of what Michelle was saying. It was not something he wanted to be aired in this class. They spent the rest of the session exploring the ideas of Jasper and recognising what he was referring to the parallel development at different geographical locations that had no contact or communication with each other.

After the end of the session when the students filed out and Michelle had a few nods about the Jasper findings it was Michelle and Elizabeth who were left. Elizabeth was intelligent enough to realise there was an understanding between the professor and Michelle about what had been discussed but she was not aware of precisely what. She felt even more privileged for both of them not to mind when Michelle mention one other fact.

"Professor I did not want to say in class but when I said after the seven sacrifices there appears to be a long period of no record that was not strictly true. There was a long delay, maybe by several years but then we have the eight reference. This was the reference you came across all those years ago."

"The one that made the reference to Queen Clarissa?"

"Precisely! You know what that means?"

"Yes I do."

I turn to Elizabeth who has been following the conversation.

"So let's make sure to get your intern application filled. It seems the pieces are lining up but it will still need diligent research. I assume you have signed up for the museum tour but it will bring it much more vividly to life. That's the end of the day ladies. I think it may be a couple of days before we meet again for lectures but no doubt I may see you briefly in the pub before then. Enjoy your evening."

"Do you need a hand clearing away Professor?"

"No that's fine Michelle, thanks for the offer."

"Good night Professor." Both girls left.

Monday 18th January 1999, Invincible Pub, Room Zero Late PM

I wait for Sarah to come out of her bedroom and meet me down the hall. It is late around 9pm. I have already spent more than an hour with Jennifer in Room Zero who is now recovering back in her bedroom in the pub.

"Hi Sarah, how was your day?"

"It was great Simone. We had lunch with the Professor."

"We?"

"Sophie, Michelle, Elizabeth and me."

"Which restaurant? I don't really know Portsmouth yet really."

"Oh nothing fancy, Cafe Coco, one of the Cafe's near the campus."

"Did the Professor mention about the pain training?"

"Yes he did."

Simone keyed in the 6 digit pass code and opened the door to Room Zero.

"After you sweetie."

"Oh my!"

"Yes it's a Torture Dungeon. I had Jennifer chained to that frame not more than an hour and a half ago."

"Strip to your waist Sarah, you can leave your jeans on. I will be whipping your back."

"Wow your hair is beautiful Sarah, very long. I need your bare back though so can you just lift it over the one shoulder. That's perfect. Now until tonight I have not really punished my subs in this way. I have had a few men though who have asked me to whip them but for a while now I have preferred females as a Domme and have one sub Kelley who is generally obedient.

This pain training though is taken from Master Frank's instruction. For this first session I will not gag you, in time I will. Gagging makes the pain experience more intense because you cannot cry out. Also for this first time I am not going to let you relieve the pain. You will in time and it will be important for you to learn how to do that effectively. To manage the pain. The gym work I am having you all do will help. I can give you a safe word to use but hoping you will not need to use it. The safe word is albatross. Say it out loud for me."

"ALBATROSS!"

"Good. Perfect. Just like that and I will stop. But as I said I do need to push you so I hope I have judged it right. Now scream out when I get started on you. For now screaming will be your main pain release mechanism. To be ready for the game though screaming will be seen as a weakness. I don't want you to be a target for that. There will be other techniques I will train you in to grin and bear the pain. For now though this is how I am going to start."

I cuff Sarah to the X-Frame spread eagled in a standing pose her wrists and ankles secured by adjustable straps.

I take a leather tassel whip and whip it against her back for the first few strokes lightly. Sarah jumps a little with a little yelp. I whip her for three more times in earnest. She cries out. I pause for a bit and then whip increasing the intensity with the tell-tale red marks appearing on her back. Sarah is now screaming in earnest. I don't believe I have pushed her as yet and my punishment experience with Jennifer has given me something to measure it by. I fully expected Jennifer to utter the safe word through the pain and agony but she did not. Her strength of character is pretty clear but I am not sure yet if this is just her character or she is trying to please me. I am of course hoping for the latter.

Back with Sarah and I continue this first uncompromising session with her. I am not a natural sadist but the men who will participate in the game most probably are. Sarah is well marked up now and her screams have settled into a low pitiful wailing. Sarah is starting to surprise me as I have judged her to be the weakest of the three but no one is perfect any one else well. I am really just at the end when I just barely hear Sarah croak "Albatross".

I come to her quickly.

"There there Sarah it's all over. You did really well. I will get you down and look after your wounds. There. Just sit for a minute over here."

"I am sorry Simone, I tried to hold out. The pain was unbearable."

"Hey sweetie don't apologise. I was about finished. You are brave hun. I don't do this lightly but I do want you to be ready. I can apply some ointment, it will hurt initially but it will help. You have beautiful skin Sarah so after a day or so these marks will fade. At least you have the experience now. Do you think you can stand sweetie?"

"Yes, yes I think so."

"Okay let's get you back to your room to rest."

I had just finished settling Sarah in for the night when I see Michelle in the corridor just as I am closing Sarah's door.

"Can we talk Simone?"