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Chapter 15
Deeta was still counting. In her mind she had not even paused but already two weeks had passed.
"Seven, eight, nine." And now, although she had not been aware of being unconscious she realised that she was now awake. She blinked and looked up at the creature standing over her. She had seen pictures of Gnarriotts before, of course, on the vid-screens mainly, but they hadn't prepared her for the reality. She fought back her distaste for the lobster like creature; they were her rescuers after all. The guard peered down at her.
"Come with me, please," he said, politely, taking her hand gently in one of his pincers and drawing her uncertainly to her feet.
Deeta looked around at the rest of the cabin where the others were still apparently asleep. "Uhh, what about them," she gestured with her free hand.
"No, just you. Come, now." The Gnarriott ushered her out of the cabin and into an office where another Gnarriott was sitting at a desk. He looked up as she entered and held an exchange of the high pitched sounds that Gnarriotts used to communicate between themselves. The other Gnarriott got this feet.
"Excellent," he remarked, waving a claw in a welcoming gesture. "Shicnan Warrax – Engineer. Now I must just check who you are."
"Oh, yes, of course," Deeta responded, "my name is …."
"That's not necessary," Warrax reached forward and pulled Deeta's shirt from her shoulder.
"Hey, what's the game," Deeta pulled back.
"Your identity, I need to check it," Warrax was pointing to her arm. Deeta looked down at a bar coded number tattooed on her arm. "You have all been coded while hibernating, it's the only way we can keep track. Now just let me see." He gripped her arm tightly in his claw and span her around.
"Oww," she yelped, "that hurts."
"Excellent, that checks." Deeta was still trying to wriggle free of Warrax's claw. "Please do not struggle. I need to do this properly. 0015783, previously Deeta Janes, South England Evacuation Group, you have been assigned to myself under the Officer Allocation Programme. As such you will be provided with accommodation in return for your work on the programme. This is as an alternative to the hibernation sequence."
"I'll go back to my couch if it's all the same to you," she scowled.
"No, that will not be convenient. I am afraid that I cannot change the allocations." Warrax turned to the guard that had brought her. "She's correct," he said. "Can you just hold her?"
Deeta yelped with pain as the guard grasped each arm tightly in its claws. "Let me go," she cried kicking out at her captor. It had no effect other than to encourage him to grip her more tightly.
"You'll be staying here and providing such services as I require." Warrax ignored her protests. "Mostly that will be administrative support for my department and domestic duties in these quarters. Don't worry, you won't find it too arduous, there will be two of you." Warrax, clicked his claws and a second woman came into the cabin. "This is 0014395," he announced. "You might find it easier to call her Marni."
Like Deeta, she wore the simple grey shirt and short skirt that seemed to have become almost a uniform for the Sola3a women but her skirt had been ripped up one seam from hem to waistband and her shirt had been tied off below her breasts to show off her belly. The sleeves of her short had been torn out and Marni's bar coded number was clearly visible on her upper arm. To Deeta's dismay the girl wore shackles about her ankles, wrist cuffs joined by a short chain and a ball gag strapped into her mouth with a head harness. What was worse, she carried a tray containing the self same items.
"Good," said Warrax to the gagged woman, pointing at Deeta. "Put those on your new companion."
Marni gave a nod of assent without hesitating. Deeta struggled in the grip of the Gnarriott but could not prevent Marni fitting first the manacles and cuffs and then the gag to her.
Deeta grunted protests uselessly as the gag was tightened. As Marni finished she knelt down beside Warrax. "Good girl," he approved, patting her head. "Now show our friend why she should behave herself."
Marni turned her back on Deeta, bent forward and lifted her skirt. Her buttocks had been laid raw by a violent beating. Deeta drew a sharp breath through her nose in shock. Warrax turned to the guard. "Let her go. I think she'll be compliant enough."
Deeta felt the grip on her arm loosen. "You two," Warrax ordered the women. "Get down to the mess deck. I want drinks and glasses for six back here in ten minutes." Deeta looked puzzled. Marni grabbed her arm as the guard let her go. "She'll show you the way – be quick and get used to doing things that way." He cuffed her across the back of her head as she turned to leave. The blow from the Gnarriott's claw left her head spinning as she stumbled out into the corridor after Marni.
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