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Chapter 28
Garan Duufrig was sitting at the navigation console. A final check of the lamps on the panel revealed that all was well with the shuttle cylinders. He spoke into the microphone of his headset. "Shuttle cylinders ready for separation. Undock sequence commences in sixty minutes." He pressed a button on the panel in front of him and watched as counters for each cylinder started to tick away the seconds until the latches that held them unfastened and they were to ease away from the freighter, setting off on a trajectory for the surface of Forgwin5c – the moon designated for the new colony.
Duufrig watched the ticking numbers with a mixture of regret and satisfaction. He had certainly enjoyed the use of Lemon, Lime and Peach but he had got out at the right time. He he had taken his profit at the best possible moment. Once it had become clear that all the Sol3a women would be going into the colony and that his ship would not be waiting around, there hadn't been any trading opportunities for those that had bought into Sol3a company.
All of the "allocations" that had been passed out to the crew had been brought back earlier in the day. Some of the "owners" had been pretty displeased but the security Gnarriotts hadn't been prepared to argue. Many of the women now realised what their fate was to be and had resisted the guards that came for them. It had done them no good either, of course.
Each of the women in turn had been collected from whichever cabin they had been billeted in. Stripped of their clothes they had all been taken to the crew mess hall, where they had been herded together naked. The security Gnarriotts corralled the women with electric prods, making sure that they were all huddled closely together. There were about two hundred women in the hall when Gabrielle Mayern and Farrin Gnarrf came out onto the platform in front of them.
Gnarff said nothing but watched as Mayern stepped forward to the front of the platform. "Ladies," she had said, "I know that some of you may be afraid but you need no longer worry. We must now make ready for the next stage on our journey. Those of you with even numbered designators, listen to me." There was a shuffling in the hall as the women checked the bar coded numbers on their arms. "If you have an even numbered designator please leave the room by the door behind you. Those of you with odd numbered designators remain here."
The women chosen to leave looked towards the platform with concern. Mayern tried to reassure them, security Gnarriotts moved forwards with their prods and slowly the women began to leave. As they filed out of the room they exchanged anxious glances with those remaining, neither knowing their own fate or the fates of the others.
Mayern watched as the women left. She spoke out to the remainder. "Please do not be concerned for your friends. They will come to no harm but you have been chosen for an important role. You have been selected as pioneer founders for our new colony. Behind you, you will find three closets. Inside you will find new clothes, suitable for your new roles as pioneers." Mayern pointed to the back of the hall. "Please ladies, robe yourselves."
Gnarff grunted with satisfaction as the women began forming themselves into lines at the doors to the closets. Occasionally there were sharp cries as a prod shocked one of the women into line.
As each reached the head of the line they were handed a long white robe.
Marni Carris stepped forward. The attendant ticked off her number, #0014395, as she passed one of the identical robes to her. She looked around at the other women and, like them, began to pull on the dress, grateful to be able to cover herself again, anxious to protect herself from the gaze of the watching Gnarriotts. The robe fitted her loosely, hanging down to the floor and draping across her full breasts. The halter neck left her back, shoulders and arms bare. As well as the robe itself she had been given a head dress - a golden slide that held drapes of cloth reaching from her head down to golden bracelets on her wrists. She was dressed but as she looked down at herself and then at the others she could see that she was barely covered. The Gnarriott guards returned her look with their own featureless stares but she knew what they were thinking.
Gnarff watched the women dressing for a few moments, pleased that they were not needing more encouragement. He turned to Mayern. Gripping her by the arm he took her to the edge of the stage. He slid the tip of his other claw down her cheek. "Now, the others," he said.
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