The Institute - Thomas Dean Pt. 03

The Institute Ch 3: ASSUMPTION OF POWER

Escorting Mr Castleton on a tour of the Institute where he intended to indenture his 18 year -- old daughter, we reached the end of the underground passage to the female quarters. As soon as two female guards in light blue shirts and dark blue pants came into view upon our entrance, Mr Castleton, naked but for the bird cage engirding his lions, became fidgety. Naked like Castleton, I chuckled, "Jenny and Jane are standing watch over the line of indenturees filing upstairs, they have no interest in us."

Light brunette ponytails of the guards wagged as they held an animated discussion with a naked Dr Throop and her equally naked nurse hands clasped over her breasts while the line of naked indenturees passed by on a stairway.

At my wave of a hand, I held off Mr Castleton's questions. I signalled Jenny one of the guards to approach. Out of Mr Castleton's hearing, I learned that Dr Throop was protesting her placement in evaluation. "I scanned Dr Throop's tag," Jenny reported. "It records Dr Throop as a slave in -- processed for classification. I know the doctor, but I have no discretion. Dr Throop must complete classification," Jenny bit her lip, "unless you tell me otherwise."

Sighing, I swore to myself, before I advised Jenny, "All Dr Throop was supposed to do was administer an entrance physical to indenturees. Instead, Dr Throop decided to engage in an open sexual frolic with her nurse in front of the indenturees. Freshly plucked from real life, stripped naked, poked and prodded with a barcode seared into their arm pits and a chip inserted into the flesh of their breasts, Indenturees, have enough to fear without the prospect of a sexual assault from their doctor. It boils down to a question of control through the exercise of power."

"Shall I detain Dr Throop or release her?" Jenny asked.

"Let's separate the two. They'll be easier to deal with. Inspect the nurse then send her back down the line for a haircut and a shave. Then it's upstairs for classification," I resolved, "I'll speak with Dr Throop, directly."

Noticing Mr Castleton's jitteriness, Jenny asked, "him? Is he ok?"

"Just a visitor inspecting premises for a voluntary surrender of a daughter," I advised Jenny, "Tend to Dr Throop and the nurse."

"Yes, sir, Mr Kinderhawk," Jenny mechanically responded as she pushed a button on her badge and relayed the order to her partner Jane. Upon Jenny's returned to Dr Throop and the nurse, Jenny ordered Jane to move Dr Throop to the side. A disgusted look came across the nurse's face; head bowed, nipples that stood erect in the sex -- play in the shower hung from drooping breasts as she prepared to trudge up the steps to join the other indenturees.

"Not so fast, indenturee. We have a small formality to complete. Move over there please." While Jenny moved the nurse away from Dr Throop toward the entrance to the in -- processing tunnel, Jenney barked, "Indenturee," Jenny addressed the nurse, "Hands on head, feet apart."

"Tough little girl," Mr Castleton remarked as we watched Jenny run her fingers through the nurse's underarms, under her breasts, down her sides, up her inside leg and superficially across her pelvis.

Turning to me, Jenny awaited my nod. When I nodded, Jenny ordered the nurse, "Indenturee, turn around, feet apart, bend over touch, pull your butt cheeks apart. Hurry, crack me a smile."

The nurse winced as Jenny came into close physical contact with the nurse. "Let's snuggle a bit," Jenny growled with a gritty smile as she drew in closer to the nurse. Plunging a thumb of her gloved hand into the nurse's anal cavity, Jenny launched fore - fingers up into the nurse's vagina.

Did a gritty smile crop on Jenny's face in contrast to the pain etched into the nurse's face? I'm pretty sure Jenny enjoyed exercising power. Opening the gate to the in-processing tunnel, Jenny told the guard on the other side, "Returned to complete in -- processing. Indenturee needs a haircut and a shave." The riveting image of the nurse's face wretched in shock hung for a moment as Jenny's arm swung the door shut.

"It's a question of assuming power," I informed Mr Castleton. "I hate to do this in front of you, but protection of the indenturees, prospectively your daughter, depends on a disciplined staff..."

Excusing myself from my guest Mr Castleton to approach Dr Throop, I mentally prepared myself to face the full force of the fiery anger of Dr Throop. I listened carefully to her complaint. Arms covering her bare breasts, Dr Throop protested she was just fooling around, working off stress. "I am a medical doctor," Dr Throop insisted.

"No, right now, I see before me a coded naked slave," Shooting an impersonal penetrative stare appraising her bare body, I sternly replied, "in -- processed for classification. You may have stripped naked and diddled with your nurse in front of indenturees undergoing in -- processing for fun, but bereft of your medical costume, you're a slave who has submitted herself to the power of the Institute, unintentionally or inadvertently perhaps, for classification. I lack the power to undo your request. Only the Board can pass on withdrawal of the request under these circumstances." Turning to Jenny, I nodded.

Ordered to turn around, Dr Throop emitted indistinguishable sounds, but complied. "Say something slave?" Jenny asked, "Like to make threats. I'll have your head shaved and your bare butt packed in an open truck on its way to market. Now hands on your head... I got to get you used to market -- place inspection."

As Jenny handled Dr Throop, I signalled Jane to join me and Mr Castleton on the tour of the female quarters. Jane's ponytail wagged as she shot a smile to Jenny. "I notice," Mr Castleton asked, "you and your partner Jenny have longer hair than most."

"Hair is a sign of status," Jane began as we entered the classification quarters. Looking back at Jenny grimace as she plunged her hand into the wincing doctor's anal and vaginal cavities, Jane shook her head as she recalled with a pained smile, "I remember Dr Throop telling me in my Indenturing physical, `Relax. The lubricant goes in cold but warms as I work it in.' It's funny to watch her getting her bottom pierced. I was lucky."

"Lucky?" Castleton questioned.

"I voluntarily indentured myself," Jane recalled, "I wasn't taken in by a capture team—although I might have been."

Ponytail waging, Jane pushed the heavy door closed. Shaking her head, Jane observed, "Given the opportunity, a slave—any slave—even one like Dr Throop, with an important position that carries a title and privileges -- hair, a family and a home -- can be counted on to goof off. Her bad luck is getting caught. A dose of humility," Jane sighed, "as painful as that may be to watch someone degraded like Dr Throop that I like is the only cure."

"Hair?" Mr Castleton questioned. "It is accepted that female indenturees are functionally kennel clipped." He paused. "Is that the humiliation you speak of?"

"Personal grooming is a privilege offered trusted slaves. Uniformity is otherwise preferred. Slaves," Jane explained, "particularly those being shipped to market may be shaved clean, left hairless for quick inspection and identification."

"I notice you are wearing hair longer than others," Castleton noted. "Are you a free person or an indenturee?"

At Jane's acknowledgement of her indentured status and that of her sister Jenny, I cut off the question forming on Castleton's mouth with the suggestion that we should continue our tour. Holding my hand out, I pointed the way down a corridor to a room brightly lit with blinding lights.

"A voluntary," I explained, "surrender gives the female indenturee a preference on retention at The Institute."

"Are there," Mr Castleton asked, "voluntary indenturees who do not surrender? I thought captives were people who pledged their person as security for a debt."

Jane bit her lip uneasily. "Perhaps Jane could explain," I suggested.

"A head of household can surrender a household member entitled to his or her support, a child or other relative 23 years old and under," Jane explained. "The surrender, while private, requires a rite to accomplish a loss of autonomy. We call this ritual 'The assumption of power.'"

"The ceremony signifies degradation," I interjected. "A free person is reduced to a subject in a state of bondage. All right or privileges thereafter come from the Institute or other owner. These can be withdrawn or withheld at any time to secure obedience or enforce discipline. "

Jane continued, "My sister Jenny would have been stripped in Father's presence with his assent, plucked clean of clothing and jewelry, personal property inventoried, body bar -- coded and inspected, like Jenny just inspected the Nurse and Dr Throop. I felt bad about having to watch Dr Throop degraded ..."

"How did you escape being torn from your family?" Castleton asked Jane.

"I was told Jenny ran off. I didn't know what happened to her. Father, soon enough, needed more money, but couldn't bear the thought of witnessing the `Assumption of power,' a second time," Jane recounted, "So, I was on a capture list. Jenny, on the capture team, warned me and persuaded me to indenture myself before I was picked up. Father got nothing."

"And what persuaded you to come in voluntarily?" Castleton asked.

"The institute requires young females mostly for surrogacy and milk production, but," Jane explained, "there are also a few opportunities in administration, sales, nursing and security," Jane explained. "With Jenny's help, I was walked through in -- processing and assigned to the security team."

Moving the tour along into a darkened room, I posed the question, "What happens after discreet private accessioning into the institute? Jane could you explain the process?"

Jane explained. "The next stage for the surrendering voluntary indenture is private appraisal for market. I was fortunate. I had Jenny's," Jane cast a pleasant smile at her sister, "support during a depersonalizing process: displayed naked on the platform."

"Why not shed some light on the subject," I suggested.

Pushing a button on her name tag, Jane opened bright lights. Jenny pointed to a 3' x 3' square in the center of the room. "It's elevated above the floor level by a foot and a half to facilitate photography and evaluation for appeal to prospective customers seeking a surrogate. You're stood naked shivering, arms covering your breasts and crotch, still in shock from the betrayal by your family, ordered to put your hands at your side to allow inspection of your assets."

"Ordinarily, we would use a newly captured indenturee to demonstrate the evaluation process," I introduced the process, "we can spare Dr Throop of a part in a mass evaluation." I nodded to Jane. Pushing a button on her identification badge, Jane activated the door behind us where we had just entered. In walked Dr Throop, shaven head bowed, arm gripped by Jenny who assisted Dr Throop rise to the platform.

As she stepped onto the platform, Mr Castleton noted, "Dr Throop's shaven head makes her look -- eh thinner."

"Certainly, a bald head on a naked subject gives an appearance of greater vulnerability," I thought aloud.

Hesitantly, Dr Throop looked down at her feet as she carefully stepped on the platform. When Jenny stepped aside, sudden flashes from bulbs descending from the ceiling lit up Dr Throop's body back and front. "Seems like I've stood here before," muttered Dr Throop.

"Slave no 31 FI 6791," Jenny announced as with a finger under Dr Throop's chin pushed Throop's head level, "Open your mouth, slave, let's see those pearly whites." Complying Dr Throop gave her head a disdainful wag.

"At age 38," Jenny continued the presentation, "Slave no 31 FI 6791 female, firm C cup breasts, stands 5' -- 3", weighs in at 130 lbs." Looking down at her electronic notebook, Jenny commented, "not bad."

"I try to keep myself in good shape," Dr Throop responded in a sullen voice.

"Thank you, slave," I interjected, "Remember in your present circumstances to speak only when requested." I leveled my gaze at her. "This applies from now on."

To Dr Throop, Jenny ordered, "Raise your arms. Legs apart." With Dr Throop's arms and legs splayed in an X position, Jenny resumed, "Underarms and pubic area are shaven smooth." Feeling Dr Throop's outstretched arms, Jenny commented, "Good muscle tone, good waist measurement at 29", impressive recovery from five pregnancies." Teasing Dr Throop's nipples, Jenny added, "good milkers."

Assisted down from the platform, Dr Throop muttered, "And Jenny, I was so nice to your sister."

Presenting Dr Throop to me, Jenny shot me a sick smile. "Slave no 31 FI 6791, you will remember my admonition about speaking out of turn," I reminded Dr Throop.

Jenny pushed a button on her nametag rolling apart vertical planks opening into another chamber. When Jenny nudged Dr Throop into the room, bright operating room light lit a gynecological examination table.

A young honey blond female doctor clad in white lab coat emerged from a door to the right. Her nametag identified her as Amy Portent. Before the door slid shut, I could see the stairway which the doctor had descended from. "I have two or three dozen naked subjects shivering as they await suitability testing for retention. What is the urgency down here?" Dr Portent demanded projecting an imperious air.

"A priority," I responded.

Noticing Dr Throop, the examining doctor Dr Portent shrieked, "Tristan! Dr Throop!" With a look of horror, Dr Portent studied Dr Throop's bare body presented from toe to bald head, "Dr Throop, what happened to you? How did you end up here?"

I interjected, "Slave no 31 FI 6791 has submitted her person for classification." Dr Portent's eyes widened when I advised, "examine the slave for potential for retention for surrogacy or sale."

With Jenny's help Dr Throop perched herself on the edge of the examination table, while Dr Portent moved the stirrups into position level with the table, placed Dr Throop' legs in the stirrups, maneuvered Dr Throop into the stirrups and pulled Dr Throop's legs apart.

Checking the electronic notebook, Dr Portent went over to a counter to wash her hands and obtain instruments. "Fortunately, Dr Trystan Throop," Dr Portent corrected herself, "er -- Slave no 31 FI 6791 had a recent physical. I only need to conduct a brief internal exam." Looking from me to Mr Castleton, Dr Portent chided us, "This exam even of an indenturee is performed with some measure of concern for the patient's sensitivities."

"You may proceed," I directed.

"Dr Throop—eh er -- Slave no 31 FI 6791," Dr Portent asked, "Date of last period?"

"Two or three days ago," Dr Throop sighed, "Hetero intercourse last week."

"Ok, an internal exam has been directed to determine your suitability for retention or sale," Dr Portent introduced the purpose of the exam. After looking to me for a nod, Dr Portent resumed. "First," Dr Portent positioning herself between Dr Throop's splayed legs explained, "I check the external sexual organs, the vaginal lips and aperture for signs of abnormalities. Then," Dr Portent pausing to take a breath, appealed to me with her misty blue eyes.

"Continue," I ordered.

"Now," Dr Portent reviewed the examination protocol, "I insert my gloved fingers of my right hand up her vagina while I press down with the palm of my left hand on the subject's abdomen to check the subject's internal organs, her ovaries and uterus."

At my nod, Dr Portent proceeded to the final step. "Next, I take the speculum to open the walls of the subject's vagina." Turning to Dr Throop, the examining doctor warned, "It may tingle going in, but shouldn't cause pain." Continuing the presentation, Dr Portent noted, "The speculum opens the vaginal cavity and cervix to visual inspection."

Receiving a nod, Dr Portent concluded the internal exam. "Finally, there is the rectal exam." Dr Throop gasped as Dr Portent's gloved finger was thrust into Throop's rectum. "The purpose is to detect tumors or obstructions."

"Findings?" I directed.

Dr Portent reported, "Despite her..." At my grimace Dr Portent revised her choice of words, "er -- the slave's age, Slave no 31 FI 6791 is in good physical condition, ovulating and probably physically capable to carry an infant to term."

"Betrayed by you too, Amy," Dr Throop groaned, "I've helped everyone in this room and have been treated like a piece of meat."

Ignoring the comment, Dr Portent remarked, "I might recommend a sonogram to visualize the internal reproductive organs to be absolutely sure. There does not seem to be a need for such a procedure."

"Piece of meat," Dr Throop moaned. Pointing a finger at each of us, Dr Throop warned, "each of you will find this out in good time."

Without acknowledging the remark, Dr Portent requested permission to return to other duties. "Capability for child bearing, that's what the Institute needs women for. Right? May I return to process the shivering mob of indenturees waiting for me upstairs."

At my nod, Jenny opened the door and Dr Portent disappeared up the stairs. Once the door rolled shut, Jenny advised me that Dr Throop's threat had to be reported. "I'd put her in isolation for observation for a while."

At that Jenny pushed a button. A door opened and we found ourselves facing a counter. Escorting Dr Throop to a counter, Jenny announced, "two guests plus Slave no 31 FI 6791 for classification. Two frocks for our guests and place the slave under observation."

Still muttering while Mr Castleton and I donned knee length frocks, Dr Throop leaned against the counter while her code was swiped before she whisked away to a room.

"Now," I suggested to Castleton, "lets inspect quarters."