Obeisance: Chapter 8

Obeisance

by J T and Nye

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Hopes And Plans

Robert wasn’t a bit surprised to find Doctor Lindsey Harrell standing beside the receptionist desk,  severely dressed in a tailor-made black dress suit coupled with a matching, form fitting jacket, a properly buttressed high collar white corseted blouse with pearl buttons, exquisitely arranged well lacquered hair, and subtle yet flawlessly applied makeup. As rigorously and meticulously fastidious as the doctor was in both presentation and character, he couldn’t imagine her greeting her clients any other way.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again Mister Morris,” she said with a business appropriate smile as she offered an impeccably manicured and polished hand. “If you would, please join me in my office where we can speak privately and without interruption.”

“Yes. Of course.”

Did you have a chance to read through the material I gave you yesterday?”

“I did. It was…interesting.”

“Really?” She paused their walk for a moment, and her quizzical expression somehow managed to blend the virtue of thoughtful curiosity with the compulsory rectitude of an absolutely virtuous and piously chaste professional woman. “Interesting?” she asked as she guided him through her office door. “I’ve found that’s often a rather loaded word Mister Morris. In what way did you find the material interesting?” she asked as she offered him one of the big, overstuffed leather chairs, a bottle of sparkling water, and a fresh glass.

“Well, first of all I was amazed to learn just how far implant technology has advanced in the last few years. And I was also left with the feeling that the potential of this technology to manipulate and control human beings might trouble some people.”

“Yes, you’re quite right. The field has made some incredibly impressive and fascinating advances in recent years. But how could it not? After all, the reservoir of scientific knowledge doubles every year,” she replied, her voice clear and vibrant, with passionate affection for the discipline of scientific inquiry. “The reason I’ve raised the subject is because I fully understand and appreciate your discomfort at seeing Carolyn locked in those crude, appallingly unsanitary, and extremely uncomfortable mechanical restraints which, and let’s be honest here, are hazardous to the health of a patient when used for any length of time. Simply put, I believe implants can provide the ideal alternative to some of the more dreadful devices Carolyn is often required to wear.

“But before we discuss implants, why don’t we first talk about Carolyn’s passionate desire to wear a septum ring. Have you thought of anything else that might help me understand why she’s so set on having this done?”

Robert inwardly winced, as the doctor’s request for details about their personal life clashed against his innate desire for privacy. “Do I really need to get into all our personal stuff?” he asked, hoping that her question was simply an annoying aspect of polite conversation.

“I’m very sorry Mister Morris. But yes, I’m afraid these questions are necessary. While it’s true that Carolyn has a well documented pre-plot history of promiscuity and profligate behavior, which would normally negate any need for an inquiry, I cannot dismiss, or simply ignore the fact that she’s also a prominent and well-established member of elite society. Her father’s a very distinguished and powerful man after all. So, before I can proceed, I’m required to have on record at least a few of the particulars that brought her here. I’m also required to verify and document that you, as her legal guardian, fully understand and consent to the procedures we’re discussing. After all, as her guardian, your decisions are her final decisions. This is what passes for due diligence these days.”

“Covering yourself, Doctor Harrell?”

“Proprieties must be observed, Mister Morris.”

“And the regulations.”

“Obviously.”

“Okay,” he muttered. “I don’t know what good it will do, but if you’re sure it will move things along, I’ll give it a go.”

Robert paused, relaxed into his chair, and searched his memory for an example that would make more sense than any of Carolyn’s quips and offhand comments that sprang to mind. Finally, he leaned forward and took a sip of sparkling water. “Maybe this will do,” he began as he placed his glass back on the table. “A few days ago Carolyn and I celebrated receiving our engagement license by taking a weekend at her family’s country cottage.  But while we were having a lakeside picnic, and probably because she wasn’t tightly controlled for the first time in a very long time, she began to feel insecure and things suddenly went south. Then we had a spat.”

“She became angry.”

“Yes, very.”

“What was the trigger?”

Pulled up short by the interruption Robert paused, not quite sure how to answer. “How’s that important?”

She made a wry smile and briefly tapped her immaculately polished nails on the face of her tablet. “I can’t know until you tell me. What made you think of mentioning this incident? Why was it important? What set her off? Let’s begin with an easy question. Was it something she did or was it something you did? Come on Mister Morris, humor me a little.”

Robert remained silent for a while as he considered his options. Finally he shrugged and said, “Oh, what the hell, I don’t know. She was fussing about her appearance and just to shut her up I made a silly joke about getting her a septum ring.”

“And then what happened?”

“Well, she took it seriously. But when I told her it was just a joke she blew up and accused me of making fun of her.

“Interesting. And how did you deal with her outburst? Or did you?”

“Well, actually I ended up doing my best to give her a sound spanking through the heavy leather skirt she was wearing.”

“You gave her a hand spanking? Over her clothing? And that did the trick?” she asked with just a hint of an incredulous smile.

Robert grinned and shrugged. “Well actually, it just pissed her off more. But after lots of cursing, she ran out of things to say and we began to talk.”

“I’m curious. What did you say? Do you remember?”

“Well, at first I just let her talk until she ran down and was ready to listen. Then, when I suggested that our relationship may have run its course and, if it had, we should probably recognize that fact before we booked a church and invited a bunch of guests to a wedding. Carrie got really quiet and thoughtful after that. A bit later she apologized for her lousy temper and brought up the subject of the septum ring she still maintains I owe her. She said that she needs it for the wedding ceremony. But she also said she had a bone to pick with me.”

“Really, Mister Morris?”

“Yeah. Carrie insisted that if I had properly fulfilled my duty as her guardian, I would have already given her the ring she wouldn’t have gotten into trouble.”

“Okay. Here’s something I don’t understand. If she wants the septum ring to serve as her wedding ring, how does she square that with wanting to wear the ring now, before her wedding?”

Robert smiled a kind of lopsided grin and nodded. “Yeah, that’s Carrie for you. She isn’t very consistent or logical when it comes to anything to do with her most intimate fantasies.”

The doctor suddenly giggled, which surprised them both. “Forgive me Mister Morris. That was very unprofessional of me. But the idea of any level one girl creating and expressing her own fantasy is both beguiling and scandalously humorous to me. An immurated girl’s personal fantasies are certainly not something the authorities approve of. In fact, it’s something they work very hard to discourage, and they’re usually very good at suppressing and supplanting them.

“Well, no matter. So why don’t we try heading back into the adult lane Mister Morris,” she suggested, as she struggled to regain her disciplined and fastidious composure.

Robert tried to suppress the urge to return a grin without much luck. “Sure, why don’t we do that. Which reminds me, and I’m just following your lead here, but have we dispensed with using first names?”

The doctor laughed. “No, of course not. Sometimes I, well… I slip,” she replied. “Anyway, do please call me Lynn,” she replied before clearing her throat, taking a sip or two of water, and continuing, “So Robert, have you given any thought about what Carolyn actually needs in order to comply with the most recent changes in the law? I’m referring to the most recent changes made to the public order and moral decency sections of the criminal code, as well as the latest directives and regulations issued by the Office of Public Morality.”

Robert shook his head. “I’ve given it quite a bit of thought, but the best idea I’ve come up with so far is to pack Carrie in a travel container and head the hell out of town. I was thinking that we might retreat to my family’s estate on Lake Como.”

“Lake Como? In Italy?”

“Yeah. But that isn’t very practical. And I think you can imagine how well that would go down with Carrie. Besides, from some of the stories I’ve been hearing lately, in other parts of the world, including much of Europe, the laws and regulations are even harsher and more restrictive than what we’re having to deal with here.”

The doctor nodded. “I’ve heard that as well, and from some very reliable sources. Look Robert, I think you’re making the issue far more difficult than it needs to be, so let me break it down for you as I see it. You’ve told me what’s foremost on Carolyn mind, which is that she wants some kind of proof that you care for her. The tangible and symbolic nature of the septum ring is an obvious example of that. And you’ve spoken of your aversion to the kinds of heavy restraints she’s now required to wear. But what do you think she needs right now? Not in some idealized fantasy world on Lake Como, but in this world, in all its brutal and unforgiving glory?”

Robert didn’t answer right away. He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, slumped in his chair, clasped his hands together, and rested his elbows on his knees. “Well, okay. This is how I see it. Carolyn is complicated.”

Lynn feigned surprise. “Really, Robert? Your young, rich, well educated, and extremely privileged fiancee is complicated?”

He glanced up at her and seeing her broad smile, grinned in return. “Well, I guess it’s safe to say everyone’s complicated, especially the members of the feminine sex. Probably even more complicated than most men from what I can tell.”

“Please don’t quote me on this, but I honestly believe you’re right.”

“I promise, I won’t. After all, a bridled and silenced surgeon convicted of the grave offense of ‘wrongthink’ wouldn’t be much help to Carrie and me.”

She laughed and nodded. “Quite right. Please continue.”

“But anyway, here’s my opinion. Carrie really is complicated. First of all, even though she finds it useful to hide it from most people, she’s got a good head on her shoulders. She can be exciting to watch when she works on ways to skirt the female control rules and restrictions she finds irritating and stupid, and I enjoy watching her when she jumps at the chance to play around in the creative arena, even though I don’t get half of what she’s interested in.

“But Carrie’s got this darker side too. At heart, she’s a progressive idealist. A dreamer like her mother. She can get really sullen and moody about a world she sees in terms of black and white with no room for any of the complicated gray bits in between. And she can get really self-absorbed and demanding of other people’s approval when things don’t go her way. Doctor Wright, this trauma therapist who worked with her for awhile said that her personal growth regressed a lot after she was arrested and incarcerated for a couple of years at a labor camp when she was in her early twenties.”

He paused again as he searched for what to say next. “Carrie often retreats into a romantic world, which is may be something people have to do when they’re trying to recover from trauma and trying to rebuild their lives,” he finally said, his voice soft, almost a whisper. And I love her quirky, sometimes over the top approach to life, but I also know that if I don’t do something now to rein her in, her freewheeling heart will probably destroy her and, I’m guessing, me as well.”

Robert straightened up and took note of the vast chasm between Lynn’s prim, restrained, immaculate bearing and Carolyn’s messy approach to life and said, “So there it is. If I’m honest with myself, I have to admit that Carrie needs a quite a bit more oversight, guidance, and control than what I’ve been able to provide for her so far.”

She leaned forward and gently touched his arm until he looked up at her gentle smile. “If I were a psychologist I would say that you’ve just taken an important step in your relationship with Carolyn. What you’re talking about is assuming responsibility for Carolyn’s protection and well being, rather than simply taking control and running her life without any regard for her feelings and needs. These days, in this world that so often seems to reward bullies, not many men are willing to take a stand like that, and I admire you for doing so.”

His grimace belied any notion that he was happy with his sudden boost in personal growth, and the inevitable responsibilities that would surely arise from it. But it also suggested that Robert acknowledged the possibility her observation not only had merit, but reflected some of the thoughts that had been churning in the back of his mind for some time. Lynn on the other hand was simply delighted to take Robert’s grudging acceptance as a personal win, and felt eager to move forward.

“Let’s talk about the procedure itself. But before we do, I’m obligated to call your attention to a breakdown of our services and prices,” she said as she handed him an elegantly produced tri-fold brochure.

“Now here’s the sales pitch. As you can see, from our obsessive attention to detail to the fine quality of the materials and products we employ, everything is designed to meet the exacting demands and expectations of each and every one of our premium clients.

“Let’s take Carolyn’s septum ring as an example. What we do here isn’t as simple as incising a hole, cauterizing the wound, and installing a grommet, although you can easily find plenty of services and practitioners who are perfectly happy to do it that way.

“In simple terms, the procedure we employ here at the Harrell Clinic involves inserting several strands of a special surgical grade carbon fiber just behind her columella and up through her septum cartilage. We then fix the strands to stable locations in and around her nasal bone. The result is a strengthened septum that provides a strong and reliable platform for the titanium alloy grommet to seat.

“Please be aware that this procedure will require a minimum six to eight weeks of healing time before the device will be available for unrestricted use as a control instrument or mooring ring. Speaking of which, the Harrell Clinic offers an impressive catalog of very high quality rings that range from a wide selection of beautifully ornate, jewelry grade options to an extensive selection of discipline and training models similar in function to the one Melissa is currently wearing. Is the degree of time and expense acceptable to you?”

Robert smiled and shrugged. “The time? Of course. And the question of expense is absolutely not an issue. I just want it done right.”

“Wonderful. And now, you suggested an interest in exploring our implant offerings?”

“Well, as I said earlier, the literature about micro-implants is quite interesting, especially the section about how implants can replace many mechanical restraint devices such as straitjackets, armbinders and even shackles. But what really caught my attention was the curb portion of that system.  I saw something like it in use at a business I frequent and the whole idea of a curb that isn’t some form of messy, conventional gag appears to be exciting a lot of the clients. Would you happen to have a sample of an implant I could look at and explain to me how the implants work in terms I can understand?”

“Of course,” she replied. A gentle brush of her fingertips opened a recessed panel door in the wall next to her and she took out a white box about the size of a deck of cards. After tapping the door closed she set the box on the coffee table, opened the lid, and carefully picked up a small glass vial that contained what looked like a slightly flattened white pearl just a bit larger than a mustard seed. “They look so simple and insignificant don’t they?” she said as she held the vial so Robert could get a better look at the tiny object.

“As for explaining how they work, I find that most of my clients find the literature a bit daunting and uninviting. Terms like Neurosymbolic Programs and Analog Neuromorphic AI are ridiculously unhelpful, even though the material is factually accurate.” She carefully placed the vial in the palm of Robert’s hand and continued, “You’re holding a vial containing a single primary micro unit. The main functions of the primary units are to route information to and from the nervous system while concurrently managing and directing the much smaller auxiliary units, or ‘slaves’, which do most of the actual work of controlling the body.

She then showed him another small glass vial. “It may be hard to tell with the naked eye, but this slave unit is about half the size of a primary. Each primary can run up to sixty-four slaves. From a surgeon’s perspective one of the trickier things about these devices is that once implanted they are incredibly sticky. In other words, they tend to stay exactly where the surgeon places them, so it is critical to position each unit exactly where it needs to be. That’s why those tests and scans we perform prior to surgery are so extensive and important.”

“Thanks,” he said as he handed back the vial. “I’m definitely interested, but I’m not sure about having her whole body done. To me it seems excessive, and I’m not particularly interested in exerting that degree of control over Carrie. Providing Carrie with a way to ditch her reformatory gag is one thing, but the rest of it seems a bit much.”

The doctor nodded and tapped in something on her tablet. “We can of course just do the curb implants if that’s all you want. But before you make your final decision, please allow me to offer you another perspective on why I believe installing the whole suite can be a really good idea and will benefit Carolyn greatly.”

She tapped open the panel door again, replaced the small white box, and pulled out a stiff card the size of a piece of printer paper and handed it to Robert. “In this blister pack is one entire standard suite of implantable micro-controllers. The Chinese army started developing these little jewels as part of what we in the west informally and, from the Chinese perspective, incorrectly call their super-soldier research project. Till now the implants haven’t produced the results the military services have hoped for, but early on the Chinese did find that the implants worked extremely well in discouraging and correcting certain undesirable behaviors in their prison inmate test subjects. In fact the implants worked so well that the need for shackles and other traditional restraint and control appliances in Chinese prisons and work camps has been dramatically reduced. As their research progressed, Chinese researchers learned more, expanded and fine-tuned the implant’s capabilities, and eventually developed a product suitable for export. This export product is what we in the west generically call the implant suite.”

The doctor waited for some kind of response, perhaps a question, but Robert simply waited for her to continue. “All right,” she said. “Now what’s an implant suite? I’ll answer by first asking you to do something for me. Please point to a processor in this card.”

“Sure,” Robert replied and pointed to a primary unit.

The doctor smiled and shook her head. “Actually, it was a trick question. Each and every primary and slave unit in this bubble pack serves as a constituent part of a single processor. They work together a little bit like honey bees in a healthy hive. Every unit sees itself as an element of the larger suite. That feature plays a significant role in where they get their processing power, by working together. But that’s just the start. The suite is designed to connect and pair with the body’s nervous system, which is also where and how they draw their energy, and through which they communicate with each other. The suite also integrates with the nervous system by connecting to other elements in the body, such as the brain, the spinal cord, and the sense organs. And finally the suite connects to each of the patient’s mechanical control devices, such as distance monitoring sensors, voice control sensors, the control collar, the chastity belt, and of course, the patient’s wireless controller.”

Lynn sensed that Robert might be losing the point she was trying to make and decided to try a different approach. “Let’s use an obvious example. Beginning with the introduction of the model three chastity belt several years ago, chastity belts began to utilize a lot of electronics such as sensors, processors, and integrated software, both built in the belt and implanted in and around the vulva. Most of these embedded devices are designed to prevent the patient from fiddling with herself, or tampering with the proper functioning of the belt. When a suite is installed in a patient it automatically connects to, and integrates all of the belt’s defense and monitoring systems into the suite’s system. Should the patient be silly enough to, let’s say, fiddle about under the faceplate of her belt, the suite’s AI system will immediately engage not only with her chastity belt, but with all the other restraint and control devices she’s wearing. It will then evaluate the character and nature of the violation, develop a solution, then mete out the proper response, or punishment, for the offense. Remarkably, the system is so efficient that, from detection to the onset of punishment, the entire process will have taken less than two seconds.”

Robert shook his head in wonder. “Wow,” was all he could think to say.

“Would it surprise you to learn that I have an entire suite implanted in me?”

He studied her trim well toned body searching in vain for any sign of cyborg-like technology and nodded. “Yeah, it would.”

“Well I have. They’ve been resting quietly in me for almost five years. I was one of the early western test subjects for the export product line, and as you can see there’s nothing to see. The entire suite is implanted with a computer guided robotic hypodermic system, so there’s no more scarring than you would get from an ordinary blood draw or inoculation jab. And because my suite isn’t ‘active’ it doesn’t limit me at all. I couldn’t be an effective surgeon if it did.”

She could tell Robert was carefully noting everything she said, but he still seemed unconvinced. She hiked her skirt up as far as her garment’s built in restraints allowed and displayed her well toned calves. “Look, I had a number of primaries implanted to control my legs. Many of them are in my buttocks, thighs and calves and also in and around the base of my spine, with many slaves running off each primary. When the suite was active an operator could, with a simple voice or menu command, have me approach him and curtsy. When one particular operator was finished tasking me, one of his favorite things to do, among the many options he had available to him, was to shut down my ability to speak for the rest of the day then command me to high step out the room like a fully harnessed pony girl prancing towards her cart.

“Once, when this same operator was in a really prickly mood, he directed me to switch from wearing my usual six centimeter heels to wearing a certain pair of fifteen centimeter black stilettos for the next three weeks. Needless to say I learned to master that particular set of fetish heels flawlessly.

“Those commands, as well as many others, were used on me by researchers while I was a part of the research project, and it should be added, for a few minutes by my husband. Apparently, Stan wanted to be sure the implants were actually in me and that they worked as promised. But as the project wrapped up my implants were shut down. And now, most of the time I forget that they’re even in me,” she said as she lowered her skirt back down to a more respectable and modest level.

“But if the suite is ever needed it’s available. The suite’s irreversible presence helps satisfy the authorities that I am well under control, and it’s available for my husband should he ever choose to use the suite system. In Carolyn’s case, if you, as her guardian, would rather not use it, I see no reason to even tell her about the suite. But given Carolyn’s turbulent history, bestowing this suite in her, even if she never learns she has it, may be one of the most loving gifts you could ever give her. It may even save her life someday.

“So, my suggestion to you is to think about having the entire suite installed while she’s in for her septum procedure. This way the procedure won’t cause Carolyn additional psychological stress, and the injection sites can heal unnoticed while she’s recovering from the more invasive septum procedure. Does that make sense to you?”

Robert sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I hate like hell to admit it but it does. Carrie’s father told me not long ago that if I was serious about protecting Carrie from the most recent changes in the law, I would need to provide her with whatever extra layers of protection I could find. I didn’t know at the time what he meant, but this seems to be something that fits the bill. And too, Carrie made me promise that I would do whatever was needed to keep her in full compliance with the authorities. This seems to help meet that promise as well.”

Robert paused and thought for a moment before continuing, “It’s just occurred to me that this implant procedure is a bit like getting a vaccination. She may never need it, but why take the risk of not having it? So okay, as much as I hate to say it, let’s do the whole package.”

“Excellent, I’ll draw up the paperwork and schedule the lab techs to run the tests and scans just prior to the surgery. It will mean about two hours of lab time and about an hour and a half in surgery, so if we start at eight o’clock we should be done around noon. Carolyn will also need to be on a water only fast beginning the night before the procedure. Is that all right?”

Robert nodded.

“Excellent. Then, I’ll walk out with you to the business office and set up the appointment. We have an opening Friday morning. Will that be all right? Will two days be enough time on your end?”

            Chapter 9 “Dinner at Tom’s”