The Betelgeuse Rule: Playing Around

THE "BETELGEUSE" RULE: JUST PLAYING AROUND

By Cardman314

(This was part of two short stories that were set in the time following the 34^th Amendment legalizing slavery. The original was a rush job and really deserved to be expanded. I started over so if you didn't read the first one, you will still have a complete story. I hope you enjoy as I am going to try to be more descriptive like 'Joe' and 'Carl', my inspiration. Any similarity between these characters and anyone living or dead is purely coincidental. All characters are 18+.)

The main title is a subsection of that amendment which allows for self-enslavement, commonly known as the "Betelgeuse" rule throughout the industry, but generally considered to be a myth within the general population. The 34^th Amendment, Article 5, section c. states "Pursuant to this subsection, anyone, who in any manner, exhibits any interest in life as a slave and openly declares someone as 'Master or Mistress' three times, or confesses themselves to be a slave or want to be a slave, the afore-mentioned three times, is hereby enslaved to their Master or Mistress for a period of 4 years."

"What's in the box, Sally?" asked Tara, her BFF and next-door neighbor. She looked curiously at the ornate, mahogany box Sally was carrying. The corners of the box were shiny brass. The lid was inlaid with a sterling silver script which read, 'FOREVER YOURS'.

"Is anyone home besides you?" Sally asked nervously looking around.

"No, come on in, it's just me. Dad is out of town and Mom went to a matinee with a couple of her girlfriends. She said she'd be home around 4 and then we could go for pizza. Why the drama?"

"My sister just finished her voluntary, 4-year indenture as a nanny to Mr. Flynn, that handsome, young widower. She looked after his two, young daughters during the day while he was working and generally did everything their mom used to do, and I do mean, 'EVERYTHING'. He proposed the day she was freed and she said, 'yes'. They just got back from their honeymoon and she said she was coming by to pick up some of her clothes. I was rummaging through her stuff to see if there was anything I could wear and I found this box in her lingerie drawer. She won't need these anymore," and opened the box to reveal a beautiful, stainless, slave collar and matching wrist and ankle cuffs. She set the red velvet-lined box carefully on the kitchen counter and pulled out the collar and remote.

"Whoa, that is the classiest set I have ever seen. They look very expensive. I guess if you own multiple car dealerships, you can afford nice stuff for your slaves," Tara replied. "Look at the ornate, scroll work all over this stuff."

"I know, right? There's a complete set in here, the collar, USB recharging cord, wrist cuffs, ankle cuffs, butt plug, and Ben Wa balls. Do you want to try them on? I've been playing with them in my bedroom for about an hour and they really are a turn-on."

"I don't think so, those things are dangerous."

"Nah, like I said, I was playing with them before I walked over here and the magnetic clasps are easily separated. Watch, I'll do it." Sally slipped the cuffs on her wrists and there was a mild click as the halves snapped together. A quick tug and off they came. "See, nothing to worry about. I even tried locking and unlocking them with the remote and it works perfectly. I'll put the remote away and you can just try them on with the magnetic clasp." Sally tipped her head and gave a little pouty look at Tara.

Tara finally caved to Sally's request and said, "Okay, I guess."

"Great, STRIP, slave girl," Sally giggled, "Let's see how well you remember your slave yoga from school."

"You're not going to take advantage of me, are you?"

"Of course, I am and then you can take advantage of me," Sally said, while wiggling her hips and grinning.

Tara slipped quickly out her clothes and assume the "Present" position. At the "Collar" command, she lifted her hair and Sally slipped it on and kissed her full on the lips. Tara tried to kiss her back but Sally pushed away laughing and said, "Put all the cuffs on, I want to take your picture then I'll try them. You look gorgeous. Are you feeling anything?"

Tara twirled around and around, waving her arms in a sensual way like she was trying to hypnotize a sultan saying, "These make me feel like a bewitching harem girl. They are kind of fun."

"Well, cast your spell upon me, slave," implored Sally, as she lifted her skirt, dropped her panties and sat down with her legs spread.

Tara crawled over and began to pleasure Sally, being deliberate to edge her over and over, until Sally begged her for release.

"You're the real slave here, a slave to sex."

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Sally shouted as her release finally came.

Tara giggled and said, "Your turn! Tara unclipped the cuffs and the collar, putting them in the box and got dressed again except for her panties and shorts.

Sally couldn't wait to get her face in Tara's slit and was naked and in collar and cuffs before Tara finished dressing. She smiled at Tara and said, "Okay, get a couple of pictures first, and smiled for the camera in Tara's phone.

"Hey, who's the slave, you please me first then we'll see if you deserve to have your picture taken. Did you bring the clip that locks the cuffs together, I want you cuffed like a real slave girl. BACK HANDS!" Sally giggled and followed her 'slave poses' training from high school as Tara clip the cuffs together.

"Yes, Mistress, may I please you now?" ....and please her, she did. Afterwards she got dressed but left the collar and cuffs on. "I want to wear them a little longer. They make me feel valuable, like a treasure to be opened. Here let me show you something cool," as she picked up the remote. "I'm going to say, 'I love you.' She pushed the button and "N- g-h N-n-g-g-h-h-h N-n-g-h!" came out in perfect pony-ese.

Tara couldn't catch her breath from laughing so hard.

"That's not all, '...............', automatic silencer, no need for Devox spray. Here's a really fun one, 'I love you' but it came out like she had been breathing helium, all high and squeaky.

Tara lost it again. "How much have you been playing with this stuff; do you want to be a slave?" asked Tara.

"Do I want to be a slave? (beep) I don't think so but my sister didn't mind it and look where she ended up. Did you hear a sound?

"I think it was the wind chimes by the outside kitchen door."

"If I decided that I want to be a slave (beep), I'd want to be able to choose my Master like my sister did. Hmmm, it wasn't windy when I came over here. Are you sure that's what it was?"

"It could have been the smoke detector doing a battery check, I suppose, I probably should put new ones in as it's been a while since the last change."

"What do you think? Am I slave girl material?

"Most definitely," quipped Tara with a smile as she kissed Sally on the forehead.

"So, I'm a slave girl, huh?" Beep! Beep! Beep! Clunk! and the pocking pins in the collar and cuffs sprung home. "What was that?"

"I think it came from your collar. You'd better get it off."

Sally pulled on the cuffs but they wouldn't budge. The collar was the same.

"Quick, try unlocking them using the remote," suggested Tara.

Sally picked up the remote. Nothing changed, she was still locked in. "What happened? I'm scared. Let's go get my mom."

Grabbing the box and remote the two of them scurried out the kitchen door and ran across the back yard into Sally's back yard and slipped into the house. "Mom, help!"

Sally's mom, Dee, (short for Delores), came up from the laundry room carrying a basket of clothes. "What's all the commotion? Here, help me put the clothes away." It was when she looked up that she saw the collar and cuffs. "OMG, what have you done?"

"I don't know, I was just showing Tara how they worked but now they won't come off?"

"Did they beep by any chance?"

"Yes, but we thought it was the wind chimes. What is it, mom?"

"I think you have somehow invoked the 'Betelgeuse' rule by accident and now have enslaved yourself."

"Betelgeuse? I thought that was just a myth. I can't be enslaved; I start my freshman year at the community college September 10^th. What can we do?"

"Let me call the Texas Board of Agriculture and Enslavement and see what can be done." 10 minutes later, Sally's mom put down the phone. "We have to go to the Ag board right away. A runaway slave BOLO has already been issued; we've got to hurry. Get in the car."

Just as they were backing out of the driveway, Sonja, Sally's sister pulled up in front of the house.

"Leave your car there and jump in here with us, we're in a hurry. I'll tell you all about it on the way," said Dee.

"Does this have anything to do with a call I got from the Ag Board asking if I would like to register my new slave? When I told him I didn't have a new slave, he just hung up on me." She glanced over at Tara and Sally and gasped, "Why are you wearing my slave collar and cuffs? Tell me you didn't self-enslave."

"We are afraid she may have," replied Dee, "It's very complicated." Hearing all of this caused Sally to finally breakdown in tears, only to be comforted by Tara and Sonja.

Arriving at the Ag Board itself was a relief. They had managed to avoid being stopped by any slave catchers, which would really have made a mess of things. Dee approached the window in the lobby and asked, "Where is the enslavement department, please?"

"Second floor, end of the hall," the clerk said without ever looking up.

Opening the door to the office, they were greeted by the manager, Mr. Hansen, who asked, "Who did I talk to on the phone a few minutes ago?"

"I called you," said Dee.

"Does the collar belong to you?"

"No, sir, it is my old collar," replied Sonja. My sister, Sally is the one who put it on."

"Then you must be Sonja Benkstrom, is that right?"

"Yes, sir, except I'm Sonja Flynn now. I married my master immediately after manumission."

"Here's the issue. Everyone listen carefully. I first have to determine if all of the conditions of self-enslavement have been met. You put on the collar and cuffs so you have obviously expressed, at least a passing interest, in slavery. That satisfies the first clause of section 5. Did you declare yourself to be a slave or call someone Master or Mistress three times?

"No, I didn't," exclaimed Sally.

"Okay, let's check. Let's see what went wrong." With that he plugged a cord dangling from his computer into Sally's collar and said, "The sensors in the collar record every enslavement confession, so let's listen." He hit 'replay enslavement statements.' The computer speakers played it back: "Do I want to be a slave? (beep)' If I want to be a slave (beep), So, I'm a slave girl, huh?" Beep! Beep! Beep! Clunk!" "Now that's interesting. The sensor couldn't tell the difference between a question and a declaration. That's a glitch that needs to be rectified immediately."

"I am going to have to talk to Cesare over at the U.S. Department of Involuntary Servitude (USDIS) and see what he has to say and what he recommends be done about this. I am also going to cancel the BOLO so you won't have to worry about slave catchers chasing you around. Just wait here a few minutes, I'll be right back."

Manager Hansen spent a good 20 minutes talking to Cesare and told him about the malfunctioning of the sensors' analysis. Cesare told him it was clearly a case of involuntary servitude and he should remove the collar and cuffs unless Sonja and Sally were willing to go through with the program that they proposed. Cesare agreed to notify IT support to look into glitchy collar software.

The minutes passed like hours and Sally would have been in tears if Tara wasn't cuddling her and Sonja wasn't holding her hand. Everyone brightened up when Manager Hansen came back in the room with a bunch of papers in his hands and a smile on his face.

"Okay, there is good news and there is bad news and there is good news and then there is possibly better news but that depends on all of you. Cesare says that you did not enslave yourself under the 'Betelgeuse' rule so we could get a tech to remove the cuffs and collar for $100. But here's the bad news, according to Article 5, section e of the 34^th Amendment, the punishment for unauthorized use of enslavement devices is branding as a criminal and 6-months enslavement minimum. Then here's the good news, Cesare said since the 'unauthorized use' was accidental not malicious, like trying to enslave someone else, we won't have to brand you as a criminal and you will only have to serve the minimum sentence of six months of slavery to your sister, who owns the collar you put on. There isn't any point in removing the collar you have now as I would just have to issue a government one anyways, and that one is very beautiful."

Everyone looked at each other in astonishment and confusion. "So, I am going to have to be a real slave for six months anyways. Is that what you are saying?" asked Sally.

"Yes, I am afraid that's true. Now the question becomes, as with a firearm or other dangerous items, who allowed access to the collar and cuffs? Do I have to send Sonja to criminal court?" Mr. Hansen paused to let the gravity of the situation sink in. "Sally, come over here and please stop crying, I'm not going to arrest Sonja and send her to slave court." As Sally approached, he took her in his arms and tried to reassure her that things would be okay. "I talked to Cesare (USDIS) and he and I came up with a proposal that will benefit everyone and educate people that still think the 'Betelgeuse' rule is a myth. It could save a lot of people grief and prevent some young life from being ruined. Are you interested?

"I'll do anything to help Sonja, sir."

"Here's the proposal, first we issue a SIN and then register you as Sonja's slave. Second, you will have to get graded, fingerprinted and photographed for the National Slave Registry. Then over the next 6 months, we will film a series of short public service announcements, (PSA's), warning others of the dangers of playing with enslavement devices, or even pretending at being a slave. We should have done this when the Amendment was first passed. It would have prevented several accidental enslavements. Anyways Cesare has money in his budget he has to commit to spending before the fiscal year ends in October or they will reduce his budget next year, stupid government bureaucracy. So, here's the deal, starting now in July through December, you and Sonja will earn $2,000 each for each episode. Sonja will receive a $5,000 signing bonus if she signs this contract with the USDIS. Upon completion of these steps, you will be Sonja's slave. When your service to us is over, you will be granted immediate manumission, unless of course, Sonja wants to keep you or sell you," he said with a smirk looking into Sally's eyes.

She simply nodded and smiled back, "Uh, Mr. Hansen, how many videos would I have to shoot?"

"Just one a month, so July, August, September, October, November, and December. At the end, you'd have $12,000 waiting for you in a trust fund and Sonja would have $17,000 and it's all tax free."

Mr. Hansen turned to the Benkstrom family and asked, "Well, what do you think? You should decide this as a family matter but let me tell you the rules Sally would have to abide by, if you all agree to help us: 1. Slave naked except at Sonja's choosing, 2. Collar must be visible at all times, even if clothes allowed, 3. Daily 'slave yoga', 4. Complete subservience and instant obedience to all free persons, and 5. Failure to film all six announcements requires that all moneys paid to date must be returned plus a 20% fine. I'm going to go out for 10 minutes so you can talk it over."

As soon as the door closed, the discussion began in earnest. Sonja piped up first, "I'm game, that's for sure. I could use extra hands around the house with the kids. We don't need the money, so I'd add my share to Sally's trust fund."

"Well, as embarrassing as it would be, if I have to be a slave anyways for 6 months, I may as well get paid for it."

Tara added, "Gee, would you let me walk your slave on a leash to our community college in the fall, Sonja?"

"No way," snapped Sally, "I could never live that down. I'd be so embarrassed. Besides, I only have to obey my Mistress."

Dee stepped in, "Mr. Hansen said you'd have to obey any free person. Think about that....and the money, of course."

Sally did think about that and the more she thought about it, the hotter she got. "Well, I have to get graded anyways someday for other college loans if I want to go on with my studies, why not do it and pick up an extra $29,000 in the meantime. Besides, it may prevent someone from making the same silly mistake. Are you okay with it, Mom."

"I think it will be a great learning and humbling experience and build a stronger bound between you and Sonja."

"Oh wow, you have guts, girlfriend. I've got your back if anyone gets out of hand," Tara said, then gave Sally a big kiss.

When Mr. Hansen returned, he was elated to hear the good news. "Let's hurry and get to the vet down the hall, then you can go to get graded. There is a 'Sam, the Slave Man' shop in the mall so you get your grading done in private rather than be put on public display at Longhorn's or HCI.

You can all wait in the hall outside the vet's office, except Sonja, as she has a contract to sign. There are some benches there, so make yourselves comfortable. This should only take 10 minutes. I think she deserves some privacy her last few minutes as a free woman....you know, the whole breast chip and shots thing."

The vet greeted Sally and told her to fold over her lower lip. A quick but painful zap with a handheld laser and she had her Slave Identification Number, 0720-6233. Sally answered a few quick questions, which the vet encoded onto her chip, including her SIN and sister's name as her rightful owner, then injected it under her skin next to her right breast. She uploaded the information to the National Slave Registry and Sally was done....almost.

Doc Lily said, "Okay, drop your shorts and panties, I have to give you your shots, the first is to prevent pregnancy for up to one year and the second is a special concoction of 'horny juice' to help you get the Prime grade you deserve."

Sally smiled broadly and whispered, "Thank you, Mistress. May this humble slave worship your body, Mistress".

"Normally, I'd be honored to let you but I have a dinner date so, you are done, 233, now get dressed and get out of here."

Sally dressed and gave Doc a big kiss on the way out.

As they were leaving, Mr. Hansen called out, "Sonja, bring your slave here, 10 a.m., Thursday, and we'll shoot the first Public Service Announcement."

As they all piled into the car, Tara pulled out her cell phone and called her mom. "Hi Mom, how was the movie? (Pause).. that lame, huh? That's too bad. Hey, the reason I called is, Sally is getting graded today and I want to go with her for support. Can I get a rain check on our pizza date? (Pause).... Really, that's great! Thanks, Mom. You're the best. I love you. See you later." Tara could barely control her excitement. Mom suggested that I get graded too rather than wait until after community college. I have my own credit card but if they ask for a sponsor since my mom can't be here, will you help me Mrs. Benkstrom?

"I'd be glad to sell you into slavery, Tara," responded Mrs. 'B' with a wink and everyone laughed, which eased the tension of the moment greatly.

Traffic was light before the traditional 'rush hour' and they reached the mall just at 4 o'clock when most of the people started to head home for dinner. Sonja started fishing around looking for something to use as a leash. Mrs. 'B' indicated that there might be some rope in the trunk and sure enough there was. It was just long enough to thread through the ring on the collar and have about 6-8 feet for a lead.