Planet of Pain

by B. A. Bradbury

  Jo wasn’t sure quite what she’d promised in that brief meeting of eyes, but it was obvious Eli wouldn’t take no for an answer. And so Jo gave her what she wanted, slipping her hand down between the girl’s legs. She stroked, tentatively at first, but Eli was sweet, burying her face in the curve of Jo’s neck and murmuring in contentment. When her head slipped lower and she took Jo’s nipple between her lips and sucked, Jo shuddered with pleasure. It aroused maternal feelings in her too, even though she knew Eli was only a year or two younger than she was.

  Growing more confident by the minute, she sought Eli’s clitoris and rubbed it gently. Eli wriggled and began to moan, and Jo smiled to herself in the dark and began to frig Eli in earnest.

  The next day’s work shift was the strangest Jo had yet known. Everyone was fearful, looking up at the roof constantly, as though expecting it to fall in at any moment; but that was only natural. What wasn’t was that the trustees weren’t using their lashes, not even Squires. The disaster had made everyone feel vulnerable, trustees included.

  Later, as they were waiting for the dorms to open, a five-man hunting pack tried to take Eli, but Jo was determined to fight for her.

  ‘What do you want with a skinny one like her?’ she said to the leader, unzipping her coveralls and showing them her breasts. ‘Take me instead.’ She knew the men; they were the ones who’d come around once before, on her first night in the place, hunting a virgin. She even remembered the leader’s name: Pete.

  There were growls of approval and eager nods from some of the subordinates, but Pete shook his head. ‘No, I’m in the mood for fresh meat.’

  Jo stood up and took her coveralls off, followed by her pants. ‘And what am I, then?’ she asked, cupping her breasts and kneading them provocatively. ‘Some raddled old hag?’

  ‘Hardly that,’ he conceded, looking her up and down. ‘Just not quite what we’re looking for.’

  ‘Shit, man,’ one of the others cursed, ‘are you blind? I say take her!’

  ‘Yeah, me too,’ someone else added.

  ‘Trust me, guys,’ Pete said. ‘I’ve seen this so-called “skinny” one in the showers, and skinny she’s not.’

  That shut them up. They were looking at Eli with renewed interest, clearly intrigued by Pete’s pitch. One reached down and took hold of the girl’s arm, drawing her to her feet, and Eli shot Jo a look of panic.

  ‘Why not take us both?’ Jo said quickly. It seemed the next best thing. If they were determined to take Eli, at least Jo would be there to help her, and maybe divert their attention a little. Some of the men seemed interested, but Pete was looking doubtful.

  ‘Come on, guys,’ she goaded. ‘It’ll be twice the fun with two, right? And we’ll put on a show for you.’ With no time to think she had blurted out the first thing that came into her head, but it seemed to do the trick, for Pete nodded.

  ‘Okay,’ he said, ‘you can come too.’

  Back in the hub the first thing the men did was strip Eli. She huddled in the middle of the cabin, hugging herself, her eyes constantly seeking Jo’s for reassurance.

  ‘Stand up straight,’ Pete ordered her. ‘That slouch is fooling nobody.’

  Eli obeyed instantly, straightening her spine and pulling her shoulders back. Pete parted her tangled hair and pushed it away from her face, and the transformation was complete. He was quite right; naked and standing properly, Eli was a sight to behold. She was slender, but in no way skinny. Her limbs were shapely, her waist and hips sensually curved, and her breasts firm, pointed, and perfect. She certainly impressed the men, drawing appreciative whistles from a couple of them, while Pete and the remaining two hurriedly removed their own clothes.

  To Jo’s surprise, now that Eli’s initial fright had subsided, she seemed reasonably confident amongst the men. She didn’t seem to mind them touching her, she held their cocks when instructed to do so, and even managed a shy smile as she masturbated them. Jo was a little piqued, in view of all the worry and heartache she’d been through, but consoled herself with the thought that maybe it was her presence that was making all the difference.

  Pete lifted Eli and fucked her like that, standing, with her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He bounced her up and down, driving into her, and Eli wailed and quickly had an orgasm. Then with Pete monopolising Eli the other four turned to Jo, who soon found herself on her hands and knees being penetrated in mouth and sex simultaneously. As each man finished another took over, and for a while they kept her too busy to think of anything much at all.

  Later, after they’d rested, Pete took Jo up on her offer of a show. A blanket was put on the floor, Jo lay down and spread her legs, then Eli, on hands and knees, was made to lick her. Though a little uncertain at first she quickly gained confidence, and was soon tonguing Jo diligently, even enthusiastically. In fact it was Jo who remained most unhappy, guilty over debauching Eli when she was supposed to be protecting her.

  Eli seemed to be enjoying herself, though all that changed when Pete knelt down behind her and, with a few grunts of effort, sank his cock into her anus. Her head jerked up and she squealed, eyes wide with pain and shock.

  ‘It hurts, Jo,’ she mumbled. ‘Make him stop. Please, make him stop.’

  ‘What’s she like?’ someone asked.

  ‘Absolutely fucking beautiful,’ Pete said, as he settled into his rhythm. ‘Tightest little ass I’ve had in a long time.’

  Eli continued to sob as Jo tried to hush her, to no avail.

  ‘Will someone shut her up?’ Pete said wearily. Two of the others moved and Jo panicked, thinking they would hit her, or worse.

  ‘Stay back,’ she snapped. ‘Don’t touch her.’ Amazingly they obeyed, and Jo turned to Eli, cupping the girl’s tear-streaked face in her hands. ‘Listen to me,’ she said earnestly. ‘Are you listening?’

  Eli nodded miserably. ‘It’s hurting, Jo,’ she whimpered.

  ‘I know it is. I’m sorry, Eli; it’s because you’re not used to it. You’ve got to try to relax and the pain will go away, I promise. Good girl. Keep relaxing.’

  ‘It… it’s not quite as bad, now,’ Eli gasped.

  ‘That’s good. You’re doing really well, Eli.’

  ‘You promised us a show, remember?’ Pete interrupted them dryly. ‘Get to it.’

  ‘Are you ready?’ she gently asked. ‘I really like it when you lick me. Just keep relaxing and everything will be fine, okay?’

  ‘Okay,’ Eli said. ‘I’ll try.’

  Jo lay back and Eli began to lick her once more. The men, having found a weakness, were keen to exploit it, and when Pete finished one of the others immediately took his place. Eli was still suffering, but she remained dutifully in place, head down and tongue busy, and there were no more complaints, for which Jo was grateful.

  Chapter 19

  The following day, as they were drying in front of the fans after their shower, Jo heard heavy footsteps approaching. Eli glanced over Jo’s shoulder, and Jo saw fear in the young woman’s eyes.

  She turned slowly. Two guards were standing there, along with a third man who was heavily built, dark-haired and dark-eyed. He was wearing standard ship gear, the first such outfit Jo had seen since arriving here.

  ‘You Jo O’Donnell?’ he asked, and she nodded reluctantly. Whatever they wanted her for she doubted it would be good.

  ‘Minassian’s the name,’ he said. ‘Come with me.’

  Eli gasped, the newcomer glanced at her, and Jo saw his expression change. He looked Eli up and down in a calculating fashion.

  ‘Bring her too,’ he said.

  The five of them made their way back to the hub, with Eli clinging to Jo’s arm all the way. Minassian went to have a quiet word with Boss, who stared at the two women when Minassian nodded in their direction. Though none of the dialogue was audible, Jo felt sure a deal was being struck. Boss nodded fin
ally and Minassian returned to them. He unzipped his jacket and showed them a gun in a shoulder holster.

  ‘Don’t think I won’t use this,’ he warned. ‘Any tricks and you’ll be missing a head, hear me?’

  ‘Loud and clear,’ Jo said.

  He led them away. The guards remained behind, and it was just the three of them who made their way out along limb one towards the warehouse and the port. She looked again at his spacer gear, and suddenly realised they were leaving the planet.

  ‘Where are you taking us?’ she asked in despair.

  ‘Somewhere better than this lousy hole,’ he said curtly.

  She thought of Bel, still back there, but couldn’t think what to say to him, or what to do. Her choices had been slim enough before, but the gun reduced them to zero.

  And then up ahead she saw a sight she never thought to see in a million years. Standing by the docking hatch were Bel and Stella. She blinked but the vision stayed firmly in place, and then she reached them and they were all grinning.

  ‘Nice outfits,’ Stella said, giving Jo and Eli the once over. They were still naked because Minassian had whisked them away before they’d even had time to grab their clothes.

  ‘What… how…?’ Jo stammered.

  ‘Long story,’ Bel said. ‘We’ll tell you later.’

  ‘Move it, ladies,’ Minassian said gruffly. ‘We’ve a narrow window and it’s not getting any wider while you’re standing here chattering.’ They followed him into the airlock, and from there into a shuttle. Then they were soon blasting up into low orbit, where they transferred to a starship.

  ‘Petra,’ Minassian said, with more than a hint of pride in his voice. ‘My ship. She’s as fast as one of your alphas, and better armed than most destroyers.’

  Petra must have been fired up and ready to roll, for within minutes of strapping in they were in a hard burn. Eli, the only groundling in the party, was petrified; and Jo, in the next seat, held her hand and talked to her, trying to reassure her. In that respect it felt just like old times.

  When the burn stopped one of Minassian’s men took them to their quarters, which were comfortable enough, if basic.

  The ship felt cold after Paradise, but Jo managed to scrounge some new coveralls for herself and Eli from their guide. Once he’d gone she could finally demand an explanation of how this apparent miracle had come about.

  ‘I guess we’ve got this Minassian guy to thank,’ Stella said. ‘Seems he’s a slaver; buys women from Paradise and sells ‘em on. Me, I’m just glad as hell to be outta there. I doubt he would have spared me a second glance, except I was standing right next to body-beautiful here. Bought us both as a job lot. Guess I was born lucky, huh?’

  Jo thought it was a little early to be celebrating, as they had no idea what their future owner might be like. On the other hand, it was hard to imagine anything worse than the place they’d just left.

  ‘When we realise we’re headed off-world,’ Stella went on, ‘Bel here digs in her heels. Refuses to board the shuttle without you, gun or no gun. Tells him to go ahead and blow her goddam head off for all she cares.’

  ‘I was bluffing, needless to say,’ Bel said. ‘And it was Stella who took him off to one side and finally persuaded him to go back for you, though I can’t imagine how she managed it.’

  ‘Hell,’ Stella said, ‘I just told him the cutest babe in the sector was a coupla hops along the corridor, and he’d be a fool to miss out on the chance to make some big bucks.’

  ‘So off he went,’ Bel said, continuing the back and forth double-act she seemed to have going with Stella, ‘and came back with two of you, not one.’

  She looked at Eli and Jo made the introductions. Eli smiled uncertainly, and stayed close to Jo.

  ‘I guess that’s pretty well it,’ Stella said in conclusion. ‘He bought the two of us and the two of you, so here we all are.’

  There they all were indeed; facing an uncertain future, but alive and well and in pretty good shape, all things considered.

  There was a medical facility aboard Petra, and the very first item on the agenda, they were told, was a comprehensive check-up. As they stripped, Jo caught sight of Bel and Stella – and nearly fainted.

  ‘Dear God!’ she exclaimed. She didn’t know what was the most shocking – the rings in their nipples and labia, the garish shark tattoos on their bellies directly above their shaved groins, or the bruising.

  ‘I don’t think she’s too keen on our decorations,’ Bel said mildly.

  ‘Jeez, I wonder why?’ Stella said, straight-faced.

  Jo just stared, horrified. Rings and tattoos aside, the bruising spoke of appalling treatment. ‘What happened to you both?’ she gasped.

  ‘White shift,’ Stella said, as though that explained everything.

  Bel was more forthcoming. ‘Every woman there has rings,’ she said, ‘and they hang weights on them during a punishment. If you’re lucky it’s just for the duration of a punishment. If you’re not it can be for a whole work shift.’

  ‘And the tattoos?’ Jo asked.

  ‘That’s just Fish,’ Bel said. ‘He likes to mark his property.’

  ‘Who’s Fish?’

  ‘Guy we know,’ Stella said casually. ‘Head guard.’

  Jo nodded slowly and didn’t pursue it; she knew all about vindictive beasties. No need to ask about the bruised buttocks, either, though the marks on Bel’s breasts were more puzzling. There appeared to be a darker purple band across the top, and another beneath. Bel saw her looking and explained.

  ‘They clamp your tits between two sticks, then bind the ends with cords to force them together.’ She made a winding gesture, round and around. ‘The more binding they use the more it squeezes.’

  ‘Like a punishment, you mean?’

  ‘More of an incentive,’ Bel said, with a sly glance at Stella.

  ‘An incentive, yeah,’ the other woman said. ‘Kinda like: suck harder, bitch, or you get another coupla yards of twine. Lucky for me my titties ain’t big enough to do it.’

  ‘Lucky?’ Jo said. ‘So how did that happen?’ She pointed to Stella’s groin and inner thighs, and Stella shrugged.

  ‘You know me,’ she said. ‘Always talkin’ back, right? My big mouth earned me a ride on the goddam mule nearly every day.’

  ‘What’s the mule?’

  Stella looked at Bel. ‘She don’t know what the mule is,’ she said.

  ‘Blue shift,’ Bel said scornfully. ‘Damned holiday camp.’

  Their lips twitched and it was clear they were both suppressing grins, then the next moment they burst out laughing at what was obviously a private joke. Jo felt a little jealous of their obvious camaraderie, and a little peeved that they should make light of her own and Eli’s tribulations. ‘Hey,’ she protested, ‘it wasn’t all fun and games for us either, you know.’

  The doctor didn’t agree with Jo’s assessment of the shape they were in, declaring them to be maltreated and malnourished.

  ‘In fact if I were a vet, and you three were domestic pets,’ he said, pointing to Bel, Stella and Jo in turn, ‘I’d recommend you were put down. Fortunately for you I’m a doctor, and ethically obliged, therefore, to make you better.’

  Jo just stared at him, thinking it was the most unusual bedside manner she’d ever come across.

  ‘As for you, young lady,’ he added, looking at Eli, ‘I’d keep you for my very own pet, and stroke you every day.’

  ‘Hey, come on, doc,’ Stella protested, ‘can’t you get struck off or something for saying that kinda stuff?’

  ‘I have been struck off,’ he said. ‘You think I’m here by choice?’

  They had a machine in the surgery, he told them, that would cure all their ills. It would lift deep bruises in a matter of hours, and even restore muscle tone, and after an hour a day for a few days their bruises and tatt
oos gradually faded away to nothing, and once the man from Engineering had cut away Bel’s and Stella’s rings their piercings healed up in no time. Add to that tasty food and lots of it, along with plenty of rest, and they were soon as good as new.

  Stella in particular was looking fitter and stronger than ever, Jo thought. She’d taken up a regular exercise routine, inveigling Minassian into letting her use an empty storeroom so she didn’t disturb the others.

  ‘Seems she can get him to agree to pretty well anything,’ Bel said. ‘I just wish I knew how she did it.’

  ‘Maybe she’s having sex with him,’ Jo said, thinking of Karlyn’s universal currency.

  ‘Maybe,’ Bel murmured, though she looked unconvinced.

  They didn’t see much of the slaver captain, in fact, who kept mostly to the bridge. They saw several of his men, like the individual who came to do their hair and nails, and the man from Engineering, who now sported one of Bel’s nipple rings in his ear, and the doctor. All of them were polite, bordering on friendly. It made a welcome change from verbal abuse and molestation, Jo supposed, though she couldn’t help feeling like a lamb being fattened for slaughter.

  Chapter 20

  ‘Your new owners are the Kraffts,’ Minassian said. ‘Annamarie and Sigismund, sister and brother. You’ve heard of Krafft Systems, maybe?’

  Jo and the others were in their quarters. The slaver captain had arrived unannounced and told them to sit on their bunks, whereupon he proceeded to inform them – for their own good and his, he said – about their immediate futures. In response to his question about Krafft Systems, Bel nodded.

  ‘Don’t they supply nav equipment, or something?’ she said.

  ‘That used to be their main field, yes,’ Minassian said. ‘They branched out a while back into other areas; drives, weapons control and so forth, where they’ve done pretty well. Annamarie and Sigismund own the company. In theory they’re independents, but for the past year they’ve dealt solely with the League. Obviously they think your side’s going to lose the war, and they may well be right.’