SCIFI-BABE.COM - Alethea revisits The Empress Serafina Roh Lin.

Alethea is invited, once more, to visit Her Serene Highness, The Empress Serafina Roh Lin.

My anticipation at the prospect of reacquainting myself with Her Serene Highness, The Empress Serafina Roh Lin was, if anything, even more intense than my first trip to her Sky Palace. I had thought long and hard about what I should wear, this time. Should I take a chance and avail myself of the outrageously expensive gift Her Highness had bestowed upon me, previously, or should I opt for something a little less extravagant? What if we both ended up wearing the same dress? Was that remotely possible? Was it credible that Her Highness' wardrobe might be so limited as to permit such a likelihood? I decided that wearing the dress was as good a way as any of showing my gratitude - and my pleasure at meeting her, again - so I had Lyra lace me into a viciously tight corset, covered in black satin, that compressed my torso sufficiently for the dress to fit. I had never worn five petticoats, before, and found the ensemble to be much heavier that I imagined it might be. It took a great deal of spatial awareness to navigate past the furniture in my dressing room without the huge skirts becoming entangled in it. When, on impulse, I executed a pirouette, the combined weight of the dress and petticoats propelled me a further quarter turn before I managed to arrest the spin. Indeed, even without the hoops, the skirts would not pass easily through any of the doorways in my tiny dwelling. [Actually, I live in a six roomed house, but it is not in my nature to affect the braggadocchio of the nouveau riche.] This time, my head was covered in a tightly fitted hood, made of a similar material to the dress, with eye and mouth holes. Around my neck, I wore the very high, very stiff, neck corset, which caressed my chin and passed just beneath my ears. It held my face up tilted, forcing me to lower my eyes to survey the scene before me. Upon my head, I wore the cylindrical hat the Empress had also given me, however I had pinned the jewelry - which she had worn on her hat - at my left shoulder. I was also wearing matching gloves, since it is not considered polite to expose one's hands in Her Highness' presence. Scarcely any piece of skin was visible - since my eyes were heavily made up - so I decided not to pack the sun screen.

Such was my haste to reach my destination, I arrived at Lept an hour before I was scheduled to depart for the Sky Palace. Interstellar travel was never one of my strong points - a simple gravimetric miscalculation can easily shave or add hours to one's journey. Anyway, as I stood, waiting for the Empress' barge to arrive, I became aware of the need to relieve myself sometime soon. I regretted, briefly, for not availing myself of a piss bag. It would, after all, have been undetectable beneath my underclothes. This device can be a great source of entertainment when 'playing' with ones slaves, however it necessitates the wearing of a means of collecting one's outpourings and it can feel a little 'unusual' as one walks. I decided it was better not to have worn one and focused my attention, instead, on my upcoming meeting. I did, however, silently pray the Empress had overcome the logistics of urinating with reasonable accuracy while wearing such cumbersome skirts. I am pleased to say she did not disappoint!

The barge arrived, I was welcomed on board by a contingent of slaves, took my seat and we were soon leaving Lept spaceport in our wake.

As had happened the previous time, a flight of interceptors zeroed in on us as we closed to within twenty kilometers of the Sky Palace, and herded us the rest of the way.

Once inside the air lock, I spied the same luxurious looking ground vehicle that had met me before. Two male slaves to each side, stood on running boards, as it slewed to a halt in front of me. The slaves dismounted and moved to the rear door nearest me and formed an honor guard, two to each side of the door. One leaned and opened it. I recognized him as being the 'Official Announcer' from my previous visit.

I took his hand and entered the vehicle. Once I had arranged my voluminous skirts about me, with the aid of two of the slaves, one closed the door, all four slaves took their places on the running boards, and we were off.

The Empress' Private Chambers.

As the heavy wooden doors were opened, I saw before me a staircase, leading up to the Empress' Audience Rooms. Eight members of the 'Sovereign Guard' stood stiffly to attention, four to each side of the staircase. At the top, the Empress was waiting for me, accompanied by her pets. She nodded as best she could, given her neck was held rigid by a neck corset. In response, I curtsied and waited for her to signal that I should approach. A slight movement of her hand indicated permission had been granted, so I gathered my skirts before me and moved to the stairs. On either side were priceless pots, made of gold and filled with exotic plants. Beyond stood two meter tall statues of the Egyptian God Anubis, and beyond them, alabaster pots with tall palms. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed an incredibly rare wall carving of a winged Assyrian Bull, with a human head. I smiled at the fleeting thought that her Highness had, perhaps, orchestrated a midnight raid upon the British Museum. But I rejected the notion. She had simply paid some smuggler or other to obtain them - perhaps from the ruins of mighty Ur, itself.

As I climbed the stairs, I studied the upturned faces of the Empress' pets. One, who had been squeezed into a sheath dress, was the companion I had seen on my last trip. The other four were dressed in frilly dresses and hats. I imagined these were her concubines - most likely of the highly prized, 'tie me up and whip me' kind. All of the girls looked lovingly at their Mistress. Clearly, no other person in this chamber, including myself, existed for them. It was, and I hesitate to use the word, love - the meaning of which I have little real grasp. As I reached the top of the stairs, I realized I envied the Empress their inexhaustible affection. I have met few submissives in my life who were so giving. Most merely seek out a Dominant to live out their own fantasies. Most refuse to take that final step of total sublimation of the self. I've always considered myself something of an expert on such relationships. I clearly had much to learn! Or did I? Surely, the prospect of moving into a well appointed palace at some time - with servants of their own - provided some small motivation?

The Royal Rest Room.

After exchanging a brief 'air kiss' with Her Highness, I indicated, with the assistance of the 'Official Announcer', my burning desire to relieve myself. The Empress smiled, knowingly, and indicated the door behind which I might find the object of my immediate need. I burst through the door and found myself in a large, tiled room with three handmaidens in attendance. Two were dark skinned and mostly likely Belosan. The other was light skinned, with a noticeable vermillion tinge to the areola and pudenda. I was unfamiliar with her race, but found her appearance to be particularly pleasing to the eye. On an impulse, I reached out and brushed her left nipple with the tip of my finger. She squirmed with delight. 'Enchanting', I thought to myself. I made a mental note to enquire of the Empress whether she might be for sale; or, if not, whether I could bring her back with me under some kind of lease-lend arrangement. It went without saying that she would have to be returned in the condition I found her in but, as my mother used to say: "If you wish to play with your toy tomorrow, don't break it today." A very wise woman, my mother!

Each of the girls wore shoulder length gloves, stockings and a hood, made of a shiny black, rubberized material, ankle boots with low heels - doubtless to ensure stability on the tiled floor - and nothing else. I couldn't fail to notice they were shaved and pierced with four gold rings. Their plump nipples were also pierced - again, with gold rings. Around their necks they wore Duralloy collars. Two girls approached me, curtsied, took my hands and led me to a circular metal disc, set in the floor. It was a little over a meter in diameter, with a second, dinner plate sized disc set in the center. Once I was stood upon the larger disc, I was gently turned through one hundred and eighty degrees so I was facing the door. The two handmaidens released my hands and bent to raise the front of my skirts. The third girl now knelt and issued instructions to the other two, who shepherded me into position. A hidden button must have been pressed, at that point, causing some kind of machine to start. I could feel a slight vibration through the soles of my feet. 'What on earth is going on?' I recall thinking. And then, something entirely unexpected happened. I felt the rubber sheathed fingers of the kneeling girl touch my nether region. The reader should know, at this point, that since one's bloomers are put on before one's corset, it is necessary that the crotch be left unstitched. Were this not so, one would have to disrobe completely when nature called. I felt a tremble of anticipation as the girl's finger tips eased the material aside; and then something cold brushed the inside of my thighs. Immediately it had touched me, its upward movement slowed. Perhaps the third girl was controlling it in some way? I could not see. Something was now touching my crotch very lightly. I could also feel a slight pressure on my buttocks. Then, something eased itself between my cheeks and eased them apart. This was, I confess, a strangely erotic experience. I was also conscious of the fact that 'Number Three' was still holding the material of my bloomers apart, providing me with an unobstructed shot at what I assumed was a small toilet bowl, shaped like a saddle. The girl to my right said something unintelligible. I took a chance that she was indicating I was, 'good to go'. And go I did!

When I was finished, I looked at the girl who had spoken and nodded my head, as best I could. She reached forward and touched 'Number Three' on the head. The saddle began to lower itself into the floor, and 'Number Three' turned to the task of mopping up. Using some kind of moisturized pad, she gently wiped my labia, from back to front, while holding the crotch of my bloomers apart with the thumb and fingers of her free hand. Finally, she wiped the cleft between my buttocks, at which point she stood up. The other girls lowered my skirts, smiled softly and curtsied. I was uncharacteristically lost for words at that juncture. What an experience? Only by exerting total, self-control had I avoided an orgasm. Even so, my knees felt weak as I moved towards the door. I remember muttering something as I opened it and passed through to rejoin the Empress. As I reached her side, she gave me a slow wink. She knew precisely what I had experienced. Knowing her, as I was beginning to, she had doubtless designed the equipment herself, with the expressed intention of maximizing the pleasure one might gain from the simple act of urinating. What a woman?

Excellent Food and Wonderful Wine!

The Empress and I strolled along a spacious corridor. Priceless paintings hung on the walls, which were covered with heavily embossed red wallpaper. A deep piled carpet, in matching red, stretched off into the middle distance. After a few minutes, we found ourselves in a large atrium. Tall palms reached almost to the glass paneled ceiling twenty meters above our heads. Beyond the ceiling, I could see the upper reaches of the atmosphere. Night was falling. The stars were becoming visible. Off to the left, I could see the Laelia Nebula, named for the orchid of the same name, which boasts five petals. Each of the nebula's five tendrils was red in color, matching the Empress' carpet exactly, with a pale pink, graduating to white, at the nebula's center. In truth, it would have been the other way around, of course. The Empress is not so old as to have planned her decor prior to the nebula bursting into life and then arranging itself as a perfect match!

We entered a small dining room, with seating for eight. A long, mahogany table was decked out with flowers. Two places were set, with fine linen placemats and gold cutlery. Two serving girls, dressed as were those in the restroom, but with five inch heels, waited for us to seat ourselves. They then moved to our sides and arranged our skirts about us. This feat accomplished, they withdrew from sight, returning a moment later carrying dinner plates laden with slices of meat, some genus of long bean, two small potatoes and a rich gravy. Our wine glasses were filled and the girls curtsied and withdrew out of earshot.

The silence was broken only by the scraping of cutlery on china as we consumed the succulent meat - a kind of sheep-like animal, which had been raised on the Sky Palace, as was all of the food consumed here. After our plates were cleared, desert was served, comprising a kind of Ice Cream, flavored with something akin to Sour Sap, that strange, prickly fruit indigenous to Earth's Central America region. Slightly tart, it cleared the palate for a spectacularly fruity white wine, brought from the Empress' inexhaustible cellar and chilled for precisely two hours.

I was full to overflowing!

The Empress raised her right hand. A girl approached, removed the chair as the Empress rose and ensured that her skirts were clear of entanglement. I followed suit and we two strolled out of the room and headed back into the corridor for the next leg of our tour.

A brief walk brought us to what turned out to be the Empress' dressing room. I was somewhat confused by this, but followed her inside. Everywhere was some of the most repulsive furniture I have ever seen - if I'm honest. A pair of chaise longue were placed against a panoramic window, from which one could see the gentle curve of the planet's horizon.
I moved to the window and studied the view. It was difficult to imagine I was standing almost five kilometers above the surface. I knew the 'Why'. The Empress prized her privacy and the right to live as she pleased. Besides, she could afford it and, in my experience, that is frequently reason enough. As for the 'How'? What alchemy was at work, here? How had this 'Wonder Of The Known Universe' been constructed? Perhaps the Empress did not know? Then again, why should she? She had simply ordered it done and written the check.

As I moved towards one of the chaise longue, upholstered in red leather, the Empress picked up a bell, resting on a nearby chest of drawers, and rang it. A pair of 'Dressers' glided though a door, off to the left and curtsied deeply. Unlike the girls in the restroom and those who had served our dinner, these were dressed in full length, black silk dresses, with high, very stiff, white collars and cuffs. Around their necks, they wore a length of black silk, tied in a large bow, the ends of which reached to their tightly corseted waists. Their heads were hooded and they wore gloves. These were made of the ubiquitous, black, rubber-like material.

Without a word, since they were both wearing breather gags - like the Sovereign Guard - they began to remove our outer garments. At length, both the Empress and I were left wearing only our hoods, chemises, corsets, bloomers and gloves. With clear relief, the Empress lowered herself onto a chaise longue and gestured to me that I should take my ease. The 'Official Announcer' positioned himself on his knees close by my chair. His services, however, proved to be superfluous. In a few moments, the Empress was fast asleep!

Let the fun begin!

After a short nap, the Empress and I were dressed. The Empress had chosen a figure hugging, magenta colored hobble skirt, with a deeply ruffled train, a matching underbust corset, a near transparent satin coat, with volumous sleeves, a huge, black chiffon bow which concealed her naked breasts, a pineapple-like hat, the same color as the skirt, and ankle length ballet boots. I had been provided with a similar outfit, but in emerald green. However, I had opted for my patent, calf length boots. I stood in amazement as she made her way across the room as if she were wearing tennis shoes, albeit constrained by the tightness of her skirt. Amazed, that is, until I took my first step. I found myself lifting off the ground as if I were walking upon the moon. In some way, the gravity had been reduced to a point where we weighed a mere fifty percent of our normal body weight. A smile came to my lips as I imagined crockery and cutlery bouncing around the kitchen, food shooting off plates, and courtiers rattling their skulls against high ceilings. I should have known better. The Empress could order that the gravity be reduced wherever she desired it. Though, to be fair, she limited the effect to her own quarters and her private play chamber. Should the mood take her to wear ballet shoes, or boots, anywhere else, she would have herself transported by a litter. Once again, I had been impressed by the Empress' imaginative, and highly original, approach to life. She was indulging her fetish without any concomitant suffering!

She opened a drawer and withdrew a substantial looking crop, which matched the color of her skirt. She selected another, in green, and handed it to me. I took it and, though the 'Official Announcer', indicated my own desire to follow her choice of footware and, within ten minutes, found myself following her to her play chamber en pointe.

Two of the Empress' Pets accompanied us. Of Tashira, the one in the sheath dress, there was no sign. Perhaps she was recovering from a recent encounter with the Empress' right arm? Perhaps she was being punished? Either way, it was none of my concern. As for the two girls following us, it seemed to me that they were a little overdressed. Still, no matter, I mused. Again, I should have known better!

We entered the play chamber, which resembled what, in the entertainment industry, would likely be described as the darkest, dampest, deepest room in Castle Dracula - complete with a heavy door, hung on three loudly creaking hinges. Maybe there are Castle Draculas scattered across the known universe. Who knows? Most likely, however, yet another scout had returned to the Sky Palace with a tempting trinket the Empress might enjoy. She had simply pulled out her check book and ordered it be made a reality.

The room was large, but poorly lit. Even after my eyes had adapted, I could not see the far wall. We made our way across the stone floor, which was covered in places with straw, and came upon a poor waif, who had been secured by a three meter chain attached to her collar to a ring set in the wall. Her arms were held behind her back by an arm binder. Though the straps had not been tightened to the point where her elbows touched - and were in fact fairly loose - I imagined her shoulders must be extremely painful by now. She was hooded and wearing thigh length ballet boots. I wondered about that. Then, I understood. Though the chain was loose enough to permit her to stand, the boots would prevent her from doing so. Ah, you are thinking, the gravity had been reduced in this area, so she could have stood up quite easily. Not so! The gravity had been turned down because the Empress wished it to be turned down - so she could indulge her capricious desire to wear ballet boots. Most of the time, the gravity in this dreadful place was quite normal. Still, at least the girl could lay down to sleep. But with her arms held behind her?

The 'Official Announcer' informed me the girl - one of a group of conscripts, recently pressed to Her Highness' service - was undergoing 'basic' training. He outlined what this period of indoctrination entailed. It was remarkable to me that he could do so in a voice devoid of emotion, despite the fact that this very treatment had, most likely, been meted out to him when he first arrived here. [I made a mental note to find out if that had been the case.] Clearly, the intention was that the terrified girl be broken down by days of isolation and restraint. Every morning, she would be given an enema. A bowl was provided over which she had to kneel to urinate. Water was provided through a straw, fed from a large bottle. The bottle was refilled only in the Empress' presence. The person providing the minimal amount of food she received only did so when the Empress, herself, was present. In this way, and very quickly, the Empress became the focus of the conscript's life, dependent upon her, in his or her mind, for their very life!

I'd come across such thinking before, of course. At first glance, it seems to be an excellent method of inculcation. On reflection, however, the line between training an individual to the point where they are fit for service and irreversibly breaking their spirit - as can easily be done with dogs and horses - is perilously narrow. It takes a truly deep understanding of the individual's psyche - since no two individuals are exactly the same - and a considerable investment of time. Perhaps I was underestimating the Empress' abilities? I hoped I was, because this girl's mind was clearly close to breaking into a thousand pieces.

As if she were reading my thoughts, Serafina approached the girl and stroked her hooded head. Then, she turned and instructed her pet, Chareez, to uncouple the chain connecting the girl's neck to the wooden block. Once this was done, Serafina placed her hand beneath the girls jaw. Their eyes locked. It was a deeply intimate moment. I felt like... How do the French say it? De trop! I half-turned and thought about leaving them alone, but Serafina reached for my arm and smiled. She gently applied upward pressure to the girl's jaw, urging her to rise to her feet. She managed to, at last, but only after the other 'Pet', Moorma, had moved to help out. Chareez took hold of her and moved behind her, clearly waiting for permission to remove the arm binder. I felt for the girl! This was not going to be the relief she craved. Once they were free of the restraint, her arms would likely be unable to move for some time, without assistance. And, when they did move, the pain would be terrible!

Serafina nodded, Chareez unbuckled the straps, moved to the girl's front, and slid the chest straps free. She reached around the girl's back and pulled the arm binder clear. As I expected, her arms remained where the restraint had held them for days on end. Serafina took hold of the girl's shoulders and began to massage them - gently, at first, then harder and harder. Eventually, after Serafina had held her close and kissed her deeply, the girl's arms dropped to her side. Without a word, Serafina coaxed the girl to her knees once more, made her lean over the wooden block, supporting her weight on her outstretched arms and proceeded to administer a sound thrashing with her crop upon the girls naked buttocks. Chareez kept count out loud, without being instructed to do so - I figured she was undoubtedly a regular attendee at these 'releases' - and stopped as soon as the total reached 'fifty'. At that point, I assumed the girl would be helped to her feet, once more. I was wrong! She was helped to her feet, and given more water. Then, she was led by the hand deeper into the room and tied over a bench, just high enough for the tips of her ballet boots to remain in contact with the ground. Once she was secure, a gag was rammed into her mouth and inflated. Having checked that her cheeks were good and taught, from the pressure of the gag, the Empress began to wail on her rear end once more.

The girl was released. Serafina kissed her once more, deeper and more passionately than the first time, then spoke her name: Hashira. This was a truly significant moment in Hashira's life, completing her journey from being a princess of the distant world of Cameolepidus and turning her into the Empress' plaything. At no time since she was ushered into the dungeon had her name been used. She had become a 'thing', a creature bound and left in near darkness for almost a week. Like a butterfly, she had emerged into daylight and, once more, was humanoid. But the name the Empress had used was not her given name. That name was 'of the past'. Hashira was now 'property', and would remain so until, and if, the Empress decided to release her. From what I had gathered, this had seldom happened. We three returned to the Empress' private rooms where Chareez filled a large tub with hot water and gave Hashira a refreshing bath. I assume she was pressed into service after that, or spent a night or two in the Empress' bed chamber. I did not see her again, and I do not know what happened to her. I silently wished her luck and much happiness.

While taking my ease, that night, I remembered the three other girls I had noticed in the impenetrable shadows of the dungeon. They were clearly restrained, as had been Hashira. I poured another glass of wine and put them from my mind. I slept well that night. Very well, in fact!

The Lady of the Empress' Bed Chamber.

I remained on the Sky Palace for two more weeks. There was ample time to enjoy myself with 'The Pets' and pose for some pictures. I had also arranged to meet the The Lady of the Empress' Bed Chamber. Her name was, Tofanurtha, and she bore a remarkable similarity to the venal owner of the Geisha House in the movie, 'Memoirs of a Geisha' - though she did not smoke. An elderly woman, with a deeply lined face and a slight stoop, she was one of the few females in the Empress' entourage who was not required to wear a hood. I thought that a little strange. As I reported during my previous visit, hoods were mandatory because the Empress' wished not to see youthful faces looking up at her, reminding her of the passage of time and its gradual effect on her own visage. But was that not also true of Tofanurtha's face? Did it not augur the eventual fate that awaited Her Highness? Perhaps she intended to keep having little 'nips and tucks' until she left this mortal plane? Whatever? I was far more interested in Tofanurtha's duties than the Empress' phobia, and arrived with a mental list containing several questions.

Tofanurtha welcomed me to her quarters as the doors were opened by two striking male servants. I could not suppress a smile as I passed between them and joined her at the far end of the room. The furnishings were sparse and simple, to the point of being utilitarian, and not at all in keeping with the Empress' eclectic style. She smiled, exposing poorly kept teeth, and extended her hand towards a comfortable chair. It was quite threadbare in places, but wide enough to accommodate my skirts. Between my chair and Tofanurtha's, into which she now flopped, was a heavy wooden table on which delicate china cups and plates had been placed. One of the servants brought a large metal pot to us and set it down on a coaster. The second servant brought a selection of cakes and sweetmeats for our delectation. Once the steaming liquid was poured (it tasted somewhat like Earl Gray Tea), the servants withdrew, leaving me alone with her, except of course, for the indispensable "O.A.'. I began by thanking her for her hospitality, then asked my first question: one which had been on my mind since the episode of Hashira's release. :"How are the girls you solicit on behalf of Her Highness selected?"

Tofanurtha gave me the opportunity to reacquaint myself with the broken tombstones in her mouth, and answered, through the 'O.A.', "According to Her Serene Highness' specifications."

"And, those would be?" I asked.

"Height, weight, color of eyes..." She sipped her tea, then added, with another smile, "Certain attributes."

Having spent time with Her Highness' Pets, in various states of undress, I was already familiar with the attributes Tofanurtha was referring to: large breasts - taught, not pendulous - prominent nipples, very long legs and a naturally small waist, suitable for extreme tight-lacing. Incidentals like hair, for instance, were discounted because the girls would have their heads shaved, to permit a tighter fit for their hoods, as well as their entire bodies. Her Highness also seemed to prefer blue or green eyes. A rough count had revealed a slight majority of green eyes. Hashira's were blue. Two more such conscripts would be needed to establish a balance. They were likely already 'maturing' in the dungeon, as we spoke!

The 'O.A.', on occasions, had problems with my turn of phrase. When I asked about their 'sexual proclivities', he looked at me, helplessly, and shrugged. I rephrased the question. "What is their sexual orientation?"

The question elicited no response. I tried again. "Are they also selected on their preference for females, as opposed to males?"

Tofanurtha looked confused, as did the 'O.A.'.

I drew a deep breath. "I have learned, from Her Highness, that she comports herself solely with members of her own gender.

Tofanurtha seemed, at last, to understand. She shook her head. "Their preference is of no importance," she replied.

'Whoa!' I thought. 'No importance? How can that be?' I asked the question.

"They are brought here to serve Her Highness, in every way she desires. If they resist...." Her face darkened. "They are offered certain..... incentives."

I sipped my tea. "Punishment, you mean?"

She placed her cup on the tray and leaned back in her chair, as if preparing to deliver a lecture. "Punishment is unavoidable in certain cases," she said, "but I would not have remained The Lady of the Empress' Bed Chamber for as long as I have if my charges were in the habit of rejecting Her Highness' advances."

I understood exactly what she meant. Punishment came after an offense. The task entrusted to The Lady of the Empress' Bed Chamber was that Her Highness' advances would NEVER be rejected. They would be embraced with enthusiasm and equal depravity. We were clearly talking Pavlovian responses, here. Obviously, since it was not a requirement for selection, not all of the conscripts brought to the Sky Palace were likely to be homosexual by nature? [I seldom use the word, 'Gay', to describe same sex orientation. It originally meant, 'carefree and merry', or 'bright and cheerful'. To me, it still does! Then again, I am from a country where same sex attachments were once illegal, save for females, because Queen Victoria did not accept that gels did it with other gels!] So, how was it done - this rewiring? Were they made to have relations with the other pets, under supervision, of course, prior to serving Her Highness in every way she desired? Were they convinced of the 'rightness' of this by coercion? Drugs? Electrodes attached to their nipples? I grinned at the thought. My own Jeni is quite addicted to this technique. With the right setting on a small, train set controller, she can be made, quite literally, to bounce of the walls, while screaming, "Yes! Yes!" I hesitated to enquire further, but Tofanurtha seemed amenable to revealing her secrets, at least in part. "They are drugged?"

"After a period of training, as well being subjected to a certain... modification, shall we say, they are unable to resist."

"And this modification?" I persisted. "I comes before the training?"

Tofanurtha nodded. "It is reinforced by the training."

"I see," I said, as if she had made it clear as daylight to me. Of course, she hadn't! Sometimes I'm a little too polite towards strangers, I think.

Tofanurtha obviously sensed my confusion. "The training is devoted to the development of abilities Her Highness expects, so that she receives the ultimate gratification."

"So, the modification you spoke about is....?"

"Once treated with certain herbs and potions, they are addicted to Her Highness' love juices."

'Holy Crap!' I thought. 'That's absolutely brilliant!' Sexual orientation doesn't even matter, if all they crave is a big slurp of their Mistress' ejaculate! My estimation of the Empress was in the stratosphere at this point! There was no cruelty at work here - well, not if one ignored the fact that they hadn't signed up for this drug treatment - just simple supply and demand. What a woman! In response to my next question, regarding the administering of the herbs, Tofanurtha informed me that they were mixed in with the water the conscripts drank during their confinement in the dungeon. The colorless potions were poured over their food. By the time they were released from their week long bondage, they were not just thankful to be free, they were also gagging for a taste of Her Highness!

I thanked Tofanurtha for her hospitality and left her rooms wondering how, and if, I might obtain a supply of these herbs and potions. There are a few wealthy men, back on Earth, I wouldn't mind addicting to my own outpourings!

An Imposter is Exposed!

Out in the corridor, I could hear the sounds of people running and crying out. The brouhaha seemed to originate in the public audience chamber where I had first meet the Empress. I hastened in that direction, and arrived in time to see hundreds of courtiers, slaves and assorted 'hangers-on' milling around, while several dozen members of the 'Sovereign Guard' attempted to maintain order. A figure was dragged through the crowd and towards the dais. There, in all her glory, stood the Empress. She was alone. The figure was thrown down before her. Two of the Guard towered over what I took to be the offender, weapons primed and ready to fire. I enquired of the nearest courtier as to what was going on. The man turned his head and muttered something unintelligible. I shrugged my lack of understanding and forced my way closer to the center of the action. I was within a few meters of the dais, when the Empress noticed me and summoned me to join her. The 'Sovereign Guard' cleared the way for me.

The 'Official Announcer' appeared behind us, as if by magic, the moment I joined Her Highness. Through him, I asked what was going on. "Fraud,' I was told. 'Fraud, mendacity and deceit, of the most grievous nature'.

Before I could press him further, the Empress announced the charges. The perpetrator struggled to get to her feet, but the Guards maintained a downward pressure on her shoulders. Even so, she made it to her knees and began to plead. Her voice was deep for a female, but I have encountered girls with a similar, or even a lower pitch - especially 'smokers'. The Empress gave her a sharp thwack across the face with her crop and screamed at her. 'OA' told me her crime had been one of 'impersonation'. 'Lies', 'deceit' and, now, 'impersonation'? I was intrigued! Was this an offense worthy of being hurled to the planet below? Like most people, I do not view cold blooded murder with equanimity. However, like most people, I am drawn to drama - like rubbernecking a freeway pile up - despite the veneer of civilization that cloaks our base, animal nature.

The Empress descended the steps, instructed the Guards to raise the pitiful creature to her feet and proceeded to tear the clothes from her body. Her breasts were mere cones, with small, undeveloped nipples. Her race was unknown to me, but her breast seemed unusually small, considering the rigid criteria Her Highness applied to the selection of her 'Pets'. At length, the skirts were ripped from the girl's body, revealing a.... Well, there's no other description for it! She was quite well hung!

Pandemonium broke out! The Empress, though her face was concealed by her hood, was obviously incandescent with rage. The 'Sovereign Guard' dragged the offender through the crowd and towards the external air lock. 'Surely they're not going to throw the poor creature from the parapet', I mused. Idle curiosity prompted me to find out what the reason was that prompted the imposter's action. With the entire population of the audience chamber now pushing towards the air lock, I decided the back story would have to wait until later, and walked alongside the Empress as she followed her subjects.

Outside the airlock, a small freighter was in the process of completing its take-off preparations. A walk tube was still connected to the air lock. The Guards threw the naked creature into the walk tube and closed the air lock. A murmur of disappointment floated up from the throng, which slowly began to disperse.

Later, in the Empress' private chamber, she finally confided in me. I learned that the 'imposter' came from a small world, many month's travel from the Sky Palace, which had recently been singled out for a strip mining operation after extensive quantities of Rhodethium were discovered there. Since her reputation preceded her, its ruler had tried to buy Her Highness off with the promise of a daughter. A communication to Her Highness, and her affirmative response, successfully delayed the mining operation - for a while, at least - and the 'girl' was brought to the Sky Palace. What no one but the planet's ruler knew, of course, was that he had no daughters.

My mind was churning! How desperate must the young man have been to save his planet that he would agree to masquerade as a girl? That, of course, was a stupid question! He was frantic, I would imagine! How did he/she pass the training? How could the Empress not know 'she' was a 'he'? Well, I suppose it would not be too difficult to deceive the Empress. After all, she used the girls for her own gratification. She would NEVER go down on one of them. EVER! I supposed one of the other 'Pets' had noticed while they were dressing, or bathing together. More likely, it was Tofanurtha. She was bound to examine every prospect who came through the door. Anyway, the jig was up! The imposter was being sent home and, I imagine, the corporate mining ships were already on their way to his world to begin its destruction. I always knew the Empress had a ruthless side to her. I guess I simply chose to ignore it, in exchange for a good time. I made a mental note to investigate a few of her less pleasant indulgencies. But that would be for another trip.

Towards the end of my stay, I took time to wander through one of the large parks, close by the Empress' Palace complex. I have visited many of the Earth's great forests. Sadly, most of them are under threat. A few of them exist no more. As I looked down upon the surface of Kyrax II, imagining the millions of people who inhabit its vast grasslands and low hills setting out to harvest the bounties of nature - be they fruit, fish, fowl, meat or vegetable - I found myself thinking about conditions on my own world. I have always held the majority of humankind in fairly low esteem. The 'stupid' have consistently out bred the 'smart'.

Earth's problems will never be addressed as long as profits are more important than human lives and the continued viability of our eco-system; or while LIES are preferable to the TRUTH. The entire planet is being held hostage by greedy, narcissistic scumbags whose claim to the right to rule over the rest of us is based, not on the fact that they are the best of the best, but that they happened to pop out of a particular birth canal!

For her part, the Empress would ignore them all - just as she does the people living like ants, five kilometers below. She has no interest in their petty lives; and, at that moment, I confess, neither did I.

I was very tempted to abandon Earth and ask permission of the Empress to remain here, indefinitely. It is a comfortable existence but, in truth, not conducive to investigative reporting, which is something very close to my heart. There are many, many secrets, here, among the clouds! People cannot and will not speak of them. The phrase, 'The Empress forbids it', falls too readily from every tongue to my liking. Much as I admire what she has created for herself, the Sky Palace is a stagnant and claustrophobic society. Actions and words are always subject to the mantra, 'What would Her Highness wish me to do?' Nothing ever changes, unless the Empress wishes or commands it. It is Her way.

But it is not My way!